


The Things That Matter

by SeraphiJade



Series: The Breaking Point [2]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Abuse Mention, Sexual Content, Suicide mention, poor Riku gets kidnapped again
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-20
Updated: 2016-05-02
Packaged: 2018-05-15 05:48:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 22
Words: 30,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5773705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeraphiJade/pseuds/SeraphiJade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Riku's sworn promise to protect the things that matter was also his driving force. He'd never considered the possibility of having nothing left to protect.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Master Aqua

Chapter 1

This world still made him very uneasy. The first time Riku had found himself in the Realm of Darkness, he was dealing with intense guilt and was suicidal as a result. If it wasn't for the King, he might have actually followed through on those thoughts. The second time, though he had Sora's company this time, the memory was still bittersweet, as they had both pretty much given up and resigned themselves to spend the remainder of their lives in that bleak world.  
This time, he was completely alone. The fact that he was of sound mind on this one occasion did little to comfort him. The place still stirred up bad memories. The sooner he found Aqua and left this godforsaken place, the better.  
As it was, he was running low on supplies and would have to turn back to restock, or take his chances in one of the towns that dotted the landscape. That was one thing that caught Riku off guard, that there were towns in the Realm of Darkness- tangible proof that the denizens of Darkness could not only survive down here, but actually had some form of civilization. He tried walking into one on the first night, thinking he might find Aqua there, but he was chased away by a swarm of Heartless in relatively short order.  
Days of aimless wandering brought him to a familiar place. The memory made the scars on his chest and hip start to tingle. It was the Dark Margin, the quiet, desolate shoreline that he and Sora had found themselves on after defeating Xemnas. He remembered being in intense pain at the time, sporting two severe burns thanks to a direct blow from Xemnas' ethereal blades, but he tried to hide it for Sora's sake.  
It was different this time, he knew a way out, and he was in fairly good health, so he could defend himself if need be. But he still wanted to get out of this world quickly.  
"Is anybody here?" Riku yelled at nothing in particular. "Someone?"  
Still no trace of Aqua. But his yelling got another thing's attention.  
"Heartless!" Riku drew his Keyblade and quickly dispatched the swarm of shadows that materialized at his feet. They were quickly replaced by an advancing swarm of Fat Bandits and Lancers, two particularly nasty breeds of Heartless- one that was capable of breathing fire and crushing their opponents, and the other bearing razor-sharp and sometimes poisonous lances that they wouldn't hesitate to use.  
"Why do they always choose the most annoying combinations possible?" Riku muttered. He had a tough time trying to break through the Bandits' defenses while simultaneously fending off the Lancers. One false move could find him crushed or impaled.  
Next thing he knew, somebody jumped in so fast they seemed to materialize out of nowhere, and attacked the swarm of Heartless mercilessly. Riku couldn't really see this person's face, all he knew was that this person had a Keyblade.  
"Aqua??" Riku asked incredulously, only to be brought to his knees as a lance tore through his upper arm. He let out a cry of pain and clutched at the wound, but quickly remembered he was in danger and had to fight. He steadied himself and drew his Keyblade again, and the pair of them worked together to fight off the swarm.  
"Thanks for that, I'd probably be done for if you hadn't stepped in... hey, what are you doing?" Riku was caught off guard as the newcomer suddenly charged at him, Keyblade at his throat. Riku dismissed his weapon and raised his hands over his head, hoping she would understand the gesture.  
"Who are you?" She asked in a harsh tone.  
"R-riku! I... I mean, I am Master Riku. What about you, are you Master Aqua?" Riku stammered. She lowered her weapon, but kept it out. She looked him over intently, and some sort of recognition seemed to set in, as her expression softened.  
"I've met you before." She said. "You're that little boy I met on that island all those years back, aren't you? My, you have grown so much! But what are you doing here??"  
"I was sent here to find you. I'm guessing you are master Aqua then?"  
"Yes. Did I catch your name right? Master Riku? You've been named a Keyblade master? You really have grown up."  
"Well... " All Riku could do was stammer, still not used to the honorific. "I've only just earned the title. I still have a lot of growing to do."  
"We all never stop growing and learning." Aqua reassured him. "Just because you've just earned the title, it doesn't make you any less of a master. Your teacher gave you that title because he saw something in you that he felt made you worthy."  
"Sora was the one who deserved it."  
"Sora? So, he can wield a Keyblade too?"  
"He's a natural actually. Sometimes, I envy his ability."  
"I wish I could have seen it."  
"You'll get to see him soon enough. My master has ordered me to bring you back to the tower. I'm sure you'd like to leave this world as much as I would."  
"More than anything. So, how do we?"  
"There's a portal, about three days' journey from here. I've left a marker of sorts near it so I could find it again."  
"Well, we should hurry then. Lead the way!"  
Riku stepped forward, but a sudden throb of pain in his right arm made him freeze in his tracks. He had almost forgotten about the wound that Lancer had inflicted. He looked it over carefully, checking for any evidence of poison, and found no trace. Relieved that he hadn't been badly hurt during that altercation with the Heartless, he chose to leave it alone, as it wasn't that deep.  
"Is something wrong?" Aqua asked, noticing Riku's sudden distracted state.  
"It... it's nothing." Riku answered as he proceeded to move forward.  
In his own mind, he wasn't lying, he honestly felt that he had, at worst, a deep scratch on his arm. It hurt, sure, but it would get better on it's own in a few days.  
He hadn't taken into account that his body was still weakened from the ordeal he went though two weeks ago.


	2. Inconvenience

Chapter 2

The pair said little as they traversed the dismal landscape. Aqua, being alone for so long, was used to saying little, and Riku was intently focused on finding the path that would lead them home. His arm was starting to throb, and he suspected there might be more going on with it than he initially thought. He still paid it no mind, the sooner he returned to the realm of Light, the sooner he could get Yen Sid to treat the injury.  
He was immediately brought out of his musings by the sudden arrival of Lea, who had dashed out of a portal that appeared right in front of him, tailed by a large group of Dusks. He ran into Riku, who was knocked flat on his back.  
"Lea... do you mind... moving your knee?" Riku asked in an irritated voice. The former Nobody was kneeling right on the younger man's groin. Lea immediately got up, blushing madly and muttering an apology.  
"What in the world are these things?" Aqua asked in alarm.  
"Dusks! It's best to confuse them!" Lea said as he jumped into the fray, Keyblade in hand. Riku got up and, drawing his own Keyblade, immediately cut through several of the Dusks. With the aid of a third person, they were able to dispatch the entire group in relatively short order. In that instant, Riku spun around and confronted the newcomer.  
"Lea! What are you doing here? Didn't the master warn you not to teleport into an uncharted place recklessly? And why were there Dusks chasing you?"  
"Hey, calm down, it's not like I was planning this!" Lea retorted defensively. "I was just in the World that Never Was doing a little recon, and I got caught. I guess I wound up here because you were the first person I thought of."  
"I'm flattered." Riku said flatly.  
"I was thinking about how embarrassing it would be to get chewed out by a kid if he found out!" Lea added, wanting to pick a fight. Riku ignored the insult and walked forward.  
"Well, it's no matter. You're stuck with us until we reach the portal. Should be another two days until we reach it."  
"WHAAAAAT????" Lea exclaimed in disbelief. "Nuh-uh. Have Yen Sid make me run laps or something, but I refuse to get punished by an extended stay in Darkness! I'm outta here!"  
"If you wanna throw yourself blindly into danger, then go ahead, fine by me." Riku said, getting dangerously close to Lea and wearing a deadly expression. "But if you'd rather have a safe route out of this world, I suggest you stop being an ass and listen!"  
Lea's eyes widened at Riku's sudden severity. "Y-yes! V-very well! You lead the way!" He said, smiling nervously. He backed away from Riku, and turned around to find him self face to face with Aqua.  
"And who is this?" Lea asked nobody in particular. Aqua started to laugh, she remembered this man too, the brazen youth who regularly got himself in trouble in Radient Garden.  
"Show a little respect, Lea. This is Master Aqua." Riku said, walking towards the pair of them. He was still a little annoyed, but he could feel his anger subsiding. "We really should get going, this place is unpredictable."

\------

The pain in Riku's arm had increased considerably as the hours passed. He was now positive that the wound had become infected, but he chose to press on anyways, he used the pain to motivate him to move faster, knowing he'd be able to get it treated by the time he returned home.  
Aqua must have suspected something was wrong, as she'd regularly cast concerned glances his way. After several minutes of seeing him struggle to hide his pain, she walked to his side and spoke up again.  
"Are you ok? You seem bothered by something" She asked quietly, so that only he could hear.  
"I'm fine. It's just my arm. I hurt it while fighting off those Heartless earlier, and it's been bothering me."  
"Do you want me to look it over?" Aqua offered.  
"No, we need to press on. I'll have master Yen Sid take care of it when we get home."  
"Okay then, but know that I'm a pretty skilled healer myself. Just ask me if becomes unbearable."  
"Thank you, but I'll be ok."

\------

A few more hours passed. Riku's own stubbornness was getting the better of him. The pain in his arm had now reached an unbearable level, and he felt nauseated. Yet he still didn't speak up, wanting to press on.  
Aqua wasn't blind to his suffering. Yet he was unapproachable at this point, brushing any questions off and snapping at her if she persisted. She wound up having to go to Lea for advice.  
"Is this how Riku normally acts?" Aqua asked, trying to approach the subject lightly.  
"Well, I admit he's acting a bit more like an ass than usual. Something is clearly bothering him. Did he tell you anything when you spoke to him?"  
"Just that his arm was bothering him."  
"Well, there's your answer. Riku is notoriously stubborn, he'll only let people see him suffer when it's not an inconvenience to others. He's probably hurt worse than he wants you to believe."  
"What can I do about it?"  
"Honestly? He's probably not gonna let you touch him until he passes out. Best to just watch him and make sure he doesn't hurt himself."  
"I can't just do nothing, what if it's serious?"  
"Well, then I wish you luck!"  
\---  
They stopped to rest and eat their evening meal a short time later. Riku could only pick at his food. The mere sight of it was making his stomach churn. His arm flared with pain, and he felt lightheaded. Lea, growing impatient with the boy's stubbornness, kept shooting annoyed looks in his direction. He eventually lost patience and spoke up.  
"Riku, why don't you just let Aqua look at your arm?"  
"It's not a big deal, Lea. I'm fine."  
"Then why aren't you touching your food?"  
"I'm not really hungry." Lea scoffed at the halfhearted answer. Riku may have thought he was trying to spare everyone some inconvenience, but he was really just acting like a sullen child who didn't want to take his medicine.  
"Well then try! You're the one we're relying on to lead us out of this hellhole, you need to keep your strength up! If you're really feeling fine, it shouldn't be an issue to you!" Lea had completely lost patience, storming over to the stubborn boy and taking him roughly by the arm, using his other hand to attempt to force-feed him.  
The arm Lea had grabbed at was his injured one. Intense pain radiated across the entire limb, and the severity of it left Riku in shock, unable to cry out, only staring at Lea, wide eyed, until he realized what he had done and released him. He fell to his knees with a yelp, doubled over and clutching at the wound, eyes watering in pain. Lea doubled back, eyes widened in concerned shock at the sight of Riku doubled over in pain.  
"Shit! Riku, I didn't realize..."  
"That's enough, Lea!" Aqua had now approached the pair of them and had pushed Lea aside to get to Riku. She held out a hand to him, which he accepted. She helped him stand and steadied him as he trembled on the spot.  
"Please, Riku?" She pleaded with him. "It won't take me that long, can I please look at your arm?"  
It took Riku only a second of painful deliberation to relent and pull his cloak off, crying out as it painfully grazed the open wound. All it took was one look for Aqua to gasp in concern, eyes widened.  
"Oh my goodness! Riku, why didn't you just tell me? I could've healed it before it got a chance to get this bad!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I confess, I love how I've portrayed Lea and Riku's relationship in this series. One of my headcanons is that Lea and Riku formed something of a friendly rivalry following the Mark of Mastery exam. It is also one of the few occasions where something looks better in writing than it does in my head.


	3. The Dark Village

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warning: uhhh... I don't know if I should classify this as medical detail or gore. All I know is there's a fairly graphic description on an infected wound in a couple scenes...

Chapter 3

The wound looked ugly- deep, inflamed, and weeping some kind of clear fluid. Riku would cry out every time Aqua's hands got too close to the open cut.   
"I think we should take a detour at one of the nearby towns..." she said, getting displeased reactions from both Riku and Lea. "Don't give me that!" she added impatiently. "This isn't going to go away on it's own. You need medicine, or this is only going to get worse."  
"I think I'm gonna have to agree with Riku here..." Lea said, clearly not liking the notion of an extended stay. "Master Yen Sid will give him the medicine he needs once we get home."  
"Don't encourage this reckless behavior, Lea!" Aqua said in a severe tone. "Look at him, he can barely walk!"  
"I can walk just fine!" Riku exclaimed, taking a few steps forward to prove his point. A wave of dizziness washed over him as he did so, but he acted like it didn't just happen.  
Aqua rolled her eyes, beginning to lose patience with the pair of them. "Have it your way. But if anything changes for the worse, we're going to the town whether you want to or not!"

\------

Riku's condition went steadily downhill as the hours passed. The wound constantly throbbed with pain. His body would tremble on occasion, and regular dizzy spells washed over him. It was getting harder for him to hide his symptoms from the others, but he stubbornly pressed on, just wanting to get out of this hellish landscape.  
A particularly nasty dizzy spell passed over him, making him fall to his knees. The world seemed to spin all around him. In a single, violent heave, Riku choked up what little food he had managed to eat that afternoon. Aqua was at his side in an instant, placing a single comforting hand on his back as he continued to kneel on the ground, choking and heaving relentlessly. She could feel the heat of a fever radiating from his body. He looked terrible.  
"Easy, Riku... C'mon, you're in no shape to continue. Let's just go to the town and get you taken care of."  
Riku felt too sick to argue, he just let her lift him and guide him over to where Lea was standing. The two of them took turns supporting him as they continued on their way. Lea seemed to understand the gravity of the situation, as he didn't let off any form of protest.   
The town was a short distance away, roughly an hour's journey. They opted to hide themselves in one of the small abandoned houses on the outskirts, not wanting to draw any negative attention when they weren't at their full ability. While the house was fully furnished, a thick layer of dust coated everything. After clearing dust off of the sofa so that Riku had a place to rest, Aqua removed a broom from a cobweb-filled closet and cleared dust from the floor so that they could have a clean place to keep their belongings.   
Lea was kneeling at Riku's side, carefully removing his cloak so that he wouldn't feel so overheated in the surprisingly warm house. He tried to tried to tell the boy something funny as he did so, to take his mind off the pain, but Riku wasn't having it.  
"Lea... please... I can't..." he passed out as he struggled to form the words, the pain was that unbearable.  
"Poor thing..." Lea said sympathetically as he watched the boy quickly slip into a troubled sleep, muttering something indescribable. He continued to push the rough fabric off the boy's shoulders, taking care not to aggravate the injured arm, when he saw something that made him very concerned.  
"Aqua, I think you should come and see this!" he called out.  
Aqua was at the boy's side in an instant. Summoning a small amount of Light magic into her palm to illuminate the area a bit more, she held it over the boy's arm. The wound looked even worse,The flesh inside the cut had darkened to a deep purplish-black color, angry red veins branched out from it, and a foul-smelling yellow pus leaked from it. She immediately let out a startled cry.  
"Oh no! This is bad, this is very bad!"  
"What's wrong?"  
"This... this is a sign of blood poisoning! This is very serious, if it isn't treated soon, it will kill him!"  
"Well, then you should hurry and get that medicine for him then!" Lea retorted.  
"It's not that simple Lea. This is considerably more than I was expecting to tend to. He'll need something powerful to completely clear this up and, well, those kinds of medicines are not exactly common here. Even when they can be found, they're extremely expensive." She sighed and pulled a pouch out of her pocket. It was bursting with hard-earned Munny that she intended to give to Terra and Ven when she finally found them, to help them begin anew. "I can only hope this will be enough to cover it, if they even carry such a thing here."  
Lea's eyes widened at the sight of the pouch. "All that would pay for a single dose of... whatever medicine you need for this? What kind of grifters work in this world?"  
"I think items are just scarce here... But, there is another thing that's been bothering me. I think Riku may have been cursed with weakness or something. He only got that cut yesterday evening, and it's already this bad. I've never seen an infection progress that fast in a healthy person."  
"Or it could just be that Riku wasn't at full health."  
"What?"  
"Did you ever cross paths with Braig? Before you got trapped down here I mean?"  
Aqua's eyes narrowed. "Once. He joined forces with that... that traitor Xehanort! If I ever see him again..."  
"Well, his Nobody has been causing trouble for all of us for the past few months. In the past two weeks alone, he managed to injure Riku badly enough that he needed surgery to repair the damage. He'd only just recovered when he was sent here to find you."  
"What sort of injury did he inflict?"  
"Tried to rip his heart out..." Aqua's eyes widened at the revelation. She turned to look at the boy sleeping before her.  
"Just how much horror have you been through since we last crossed paths? I wasn't wrong, the life of a Keyblade wielder isn't one I would wish on anyone, especially a child." She said quietly. "Lea? Can you please say behind and look after him? I'll go into the town and get the supplies we need. I'll cast a Light spell if something goes wrong."  
"And what should I do if we get in trouble?"  
Aqua thought for a moment, then let off a cheeky grin. "Light a fire!"


	4. Watch and Wait

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warning, semi-graphic medical detail.

Chapter 4  
The sense of foreboding had set in again. Last time Sora felt that, it was back when Riku was in the Organization's captivity. Knowing that Riku was currently away in a dangerous location did nothing to ease the boy's concerns. He was almost certain that Riku was badly hurt somewhere in the Dark realm. His concerns were what found him in council with Yen Sid that afternoon. He asked to be sent down to the realm, but the old sorcerer was adamant.   
"I cannot allow that. You'd be in great danger there, since you're currently a target of the Organization and you also lack immunity to Darkness."  
"But Riku might be in trouble!"  
Yen Sid did not relent. "You need not fear. I can sense them at this very moment, they're closer than you think." He frowned as he attempted to scry further. "It seems your concerns were not wrong. Riku is injured, however..."  
Sora choked and made to yell out a protest, but Yen Sid silenced him and continued. "He is in good hands. Aqua is an expert mage and an accomplished healer. I have faith in her abilities. But this will delay their return. I think we should alert the others to that, so there's no cause for panic."

\------

Aqua roamed the streets of the small town with care, making sure nobody was watching her or following her. She had to cross the entire town before she found what she was looking for.   
The apothecary was small and sparsely stocked, but she did manage to find most of the simpler items she needed. She was startled to find that the shop was run by a moogle. The small, business-minded creatures were from the Realm of Light, so she wondered how he had found himself down in this world. Was he trapped down here too, or was he down here voluntarily?  
"700 munny please," the moogle said as Aqua placed the items she selected on the counter. Things were expensive in this world, yet she always managed to break even thanks to all the Heartless she'd defeated. The little monsters always carried some on their person, probably whatever change was in the pockets of the humans they used to be.  
"Never seen you around town before, kupo. You're not from here, are ya?" The moogle was trying to be friendly to her. Maybe she could take advantage of that and find out where she could find the next thing she needed.  
"No actually, but I was forced to stop in town because one of my friends got sick. I was wondering... you wouldn't know where I could find some antibiotics- strong ones? I'll pay you for the information if you have it, please! He isn't going to last much longer without it."  
The moogle thought for a moment before speaking up. "Well, I don't know if it'll be enough to help your friend, but I do have some in my stock. Thing is... it's old, expired. I can give it to you, but you'd be taking a chance."  
"Oh..." Aqua thought it over, but she doubted she'd get another chance like this, so she accepted. "I'll take the chance, I'm getting kind of desperate." She waited as the moogle flew off to the basement of the shop, returning a short time later carrying a small pouch that contained two vials of an amber colored liquid and a syringe. She made to take her munny pouch back out to pay the moogle, but he refused.  
"Don't worry about it. It's old, I wouldn't feel right if I took your munny for something that might not work. Just... let me know if it does."  
"Really?" Aqua exclaimed. "Thank you so much!" She bowed low to the moogle, who began to chuckle.   
"Don't thank me until you know if it helped!" it said as Aqua left the shop, beaming. If the medicine worked, she'd be able to heal Riku, and she managed it while still having enough munny to help her friends once they were reunited.  
\---  
Lea spent the entirety of Aqua's absence at Riku's side, gently cleaning the wound on his arm with a damp cloth. The boy would shudder every time the cloth touched the raw skin, but he made no outcry. Clearing away all the blood and pus only made the wound look uglier, the darkened flesh inside made it look like a gaping hole, and the angry red veins stood out in greater relief. Aqua returned while Lea was tending to him. She actively cringed at the sight of the open cut, yet made no sound as she cleared off a nearby table and laid out everything she had gotten during her excursion. Lea could make out a few bundles of herbs, a small but sharp looking knife, a few clean, dry cloths, and the pouch containing the medicine.  
"So did you manage to get it?" Lea asked eagerly.  
"I hope so. That moogle said the medicine was expired, so he gave it to me for no charge. It was generous of him, as I know a few people around these parts that would try to sell me water and say it was a fresh batch of medicine. I just hope it works." Aqua knelt down at Riku's side and gently laid a hand across his forehead. At least his fever hadn't gone any higher, that was a hopeful sign. She checked his other vitals in the same manner before whispering something to him.  
"I'm really sorry for what I'm about to do..." she said with sad eyes. "But it needs to be done so you can get well again." She stood up and walked back to the table. She poured some water into a bowl and boiled it by casting fire over it. She then carefully tore up and threw the herbs into it. As they steeped, she picked up the knife and cast fire over it to sterilize it.  
"Just what is that for?" Lea asked, motioning to the knife.  
"The infection needs to be drained." Aqua said plainly. "Or it won't go away completely."  
Lea felt like he was going to be ill. It wasn't the first time he'd have to witness someone cutting the boy open like that, but each experience didn't set well with him.  
Aqua turned her attention back to the herbs. She was now soaking one of the cloths in the mixture. Once she felt the cloth was adequately dampened, she carried it to Riku and held it against the wound. The boy let out a sigh once the cool fabric touched his burning skin.  
"What are you doing?" Lea asked curiously.  
"Numbing his arm. Oh, I really wish it could've been something stronger. But I wasn't gonna make him endure this with no relief whatsoever." As she held the cloth against his arm, she summoned small amounts of ice energy into her hand and released it into the cloth, hoping the chill would numb him more. She eventually pulled the cloth away and lifted the knife, poising it over the wound, hesitating. She was afraid, she had never done such a thing before and didn't want to cause the boy unnecessary pain.   
"Aqua?" Lea could see her hesitation. She ignored him, instead focusing on her charge. She took a deep, shuddering breath and pressed the blade into his arm.  
Riku's body jerked, and he let out a yelp of pain. The reaction was expected, but less severe than Aqua was afraid of. She worked quickly and with as much gentleness as she could muster. The wound began to bleed as soon as the incision was made, spewing forth thick, dark blood. Grabbing a clean cloth, she used it to clear away the blood and cast it aside before applying pressure to the boy's arm, trying to drive out as much of the infection as possible, which she would clear away with a fresh cloth every so often.  
Riku was surprisingly cooperative, not moving and only crying out on occasion. Aqua would quickly return the cloth containing the numbing herbs whenever he made a sound and would not proceed until he was calm again. She was thorough in her work and did not finish until she was certain there was no obvious sign of infection left in the boy's arm. In a matter of minutes, she had completed her work and was binding the boy's arm with one of the remaining cloths.   
She then turned her attention to the pile of soiled rags next to them. She gathered them all into a pile in the fireplace and proceeded to cast fira on them, burning them until there was no remaining evidence. Once that was completed, she grabbed the pouch containing the medicine and returned to Riku's side. The boy winced slightly when she injected the first dose into him, but did not wake. His demeanor had already improved, his expression did not look so pained, his sleep was not so restless.  
It was a good sign, but Aqua took what the moogle said to heart. "I guess, all we can do now is watch and wait."


	5. Relief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warning: minor medical detail, sexual content.

Chapter 5  
It was clear that it would take some time for the medicine to take full effect, so Lea and Aqua tried to make themselves more comfortable in the small, dusty house they were hiding in. The two of them explored every inch of the enclosure in greater detail, and found that the place was all one floor, with two smaller rooms that branched out from the main part of the house: one bedroom, and a study. Aqua was quick to offer the space to Lea, but he declined, saying it wouldn't feel right and that he had everything he needed right there.  
Weariness set in quickly as Aqua explored the room, the full weight of the day's events finally setting in. She noted that this room was also fully adorned, and began to wonder what had forced the house's inhabitants to leave everything behind like this. Had the owner been killed by a Heartless? She could only guess.  
Pulling back the thick duvet that covered the bed, Aqua was pleased to find that the bedclothes beneath it were practically untouched, as clean and crisp as they were back whenever this house was first abandoned. She settled in and tried to fall asleep, but her mind kept wandering.  
How quickly her fortunes had changed in the span of a few hours. Provided the medicine she had dosed Riku with earlier worked, she would find herself free of this hellish landscape once and for all. And then she might be able to find and rescue her friends. Ventus, who was asleep in the Land of Departure, and Terra, who she didn't know the current location of.  
The boy sleeping in the other room still reminded her so much of Terra. Sincere, devoted, and a little headstrong. Sometimes she wondered if a little bit of him rested in the boy. It made her realize how much she missed him. She'd began to wonder if her feelings for the youth were something more than friendship, as she'd always feel a sort f warmth pass through her body at the thought of him. As the years passed, the warmth would sometimes grow into other, more intense feelings, some good, some bad.  
That night, it had grown into that familiar sense of frustration and longing. Tending to Riku earlier had helped to distract her from those thoughts, but now they were out in full force. She normally would seek out a quiet, secluded place and seek relief there, but this place wasn't so private. But still, the urge was getting too intense. With a sigh, Aqua quickly jumped out of bed and walked to the door, praying there was a lock. She let out a soft, grateful sigh when she found the latch and flipped it shut.  
Returning to the bed, she carefully removed her clothes and placed them neatly at the foot of it. She lay back against the pillows and softly ran her hands across her body, stilling them just above the smattering of dark blue curls that covered her mound, afraid to proceed in case Lea might hear her. She calmed her mind, figuring that Lea was either sleeping or seeking out his own form of stress relief in the other room. Either way, he was not liable to find out what was about to happen in here. Taking a deep breath, she moved her hand down the last few inches, gently pulling her folds apart with her fingers, her middle finger quickly seeking it's target.  
Aqua's eyes fluttered shut and she bit her lip to stifle any sounds she would make as she massaged her clit in slow, leisurely circles. She could feel the small, nerve filled nub throbbing beneath her fingertips between waves of blissful relief. Her other hand traveled back up to her breasts, so she could gently roll her nipples between her fingertips, the sensations further increasing her pleasure.  
She let out a loud, ragged gasp as she pushed one of her fingers inside her, gently hooking it so that it grazed a certain, sensitive place that caused a powerful spike in sensation. She'd do this only once every so often, immediately returning attention to her clit. She'd become really familiar with her body in the time she'd spent down here, knowing exactly what needed to be done to get her off quickly. In a world where she could be attacked at any given moment, it was important. But here, tonight, she knew she was safe, so she drew it out, allowing herself to enjoy it.  
It had to end eventually though. She felt the promise of release coiling in her belly, threatening to spring at any moment. She quickly changed her actions, pulling her free hand down and plunging it into her hole, seeking out that special place and thrusting her fingers into it rapidly, while the other hand rubbed at her clit in fast, rough circles. The coil grew tighter and tighter until it finally broke, sending waves of pure ecstasy across her whole body.  
Aqua whimpered and screamed as she came, crying out the name of the one she missed the most. She slowed her pace but continued to work on herself until she had completely rose out her release. As she lay back against the pillows, she was suddenly aware that there were tears streaming down her face. Weariness quickly set in, a sign that her actions did have the desired results, and she soon found herself curling up under the blankets and falling asleep.

\------

Riku's fever broke the following morning. Aqua returned to the small apothecary to pick up a few more supplies and to tell the moogle like she promised.  
During that meeting it was revealed that the moogle was, in fact, trapped in the Realm of Darkness just like she had been. The world the moogle had set up shop in had fallen to the Heartless, and it had been unable to escape in time.  
Still wanting to repay the moogle for his generosity, Aqua offered to let it return to the Realm of Light with them. The moogle couldn't refuse, in fact it acted as though Aqua had just offered it the most priceless treasure in the worlds.  
That was how Aqua had found herself returning to the small house with a moogle in tow. Lea had a look of pure disbelief on his face when he saw the small creature following her.  
"Aqua, why do you have a moogle following you?"  
"Lea, this is the same moogle that gave me that medicine. It was trapped down here just like I was, so I offered to let it come with us."  
Lea looked at the pair of them, flabbergasted.  
"Tell it to find it's own way!"  
"Lea!"  
As the pair of them argued, the moogle made it's way further into the house, looking around a little before stopping in front of the couch that Riku slept on.  
"Is this the boy you were talking about?" it asked as Aqua walked closer to them.  
"Yes. You saved his life, and I'm still incredibly grateful for that." Aqua said as she gently laid a hand on Riku's forehead, checking his vitals in the same manner that she had for the past two days. The boy's skin felt a lot cooler to the touch. He stirred softly and called out a name in his dreams.  
"Sora?"  
"No Riku, it's just me..." Aqua said quietly as she proceeded to check his pulse. After giving a short nod of approval, she proceeded to unwind the dressing from his arm. The appearance of the wound had improved, but it still looked ugly, the skin surrounding it was red and swollen.  
"He's improved dramatically..." Lea said.  
"Yeah, but he's still got a bit of a way to go..." Aqua said as she prepared a new bandage for him. After offering to let it travel with them, the moogle let Aqua take whatever she needed or wanted from the shop at no cost (since it no longer needed it anyways) and left the remainder of the stock behind for whoever could find it.  
Aqua had only taken the things she needed- a few more clean cloths and the herbs needed to prepare a drawing poultice, which she felt would help hasten the healing process by drawing out any remaining infection in Riku's arm. She was now grinding up those herbs and depositing them all in a bowl of hot water. She then proceeded to empty the entire bowl onto a cloth, which she carefully fastened against the boy's arm. Riku let out a sigh as the cool, damp herbs made contact with the wound, which was beginning to pain him again.  
"If you think that feels nice now, wait till it starts to work..." Aqua said quietly as she watched how the boy reacted to the treatment. It was all very promising. Though the boy had deteriorated quickly, she was surprised to note that he was also recovering quickly. She suspected he would be well enough to resume travel by that evening. They'd probably reach their destination the following afternoon. Aqua awaited the time patiently, but eagerly.  
But who could blame her eagerness? It had been nearly thirteen years since she had seen the realm of Light, and she wanted to see how much everything had changed.  
More than that, she wanted to see Ven and Terra again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *blushes* well...  
> After all the shit she went through both in KH and in this fic, I felt that Aqua deserved a moment to herself.  
> Sorry if it seems over the top, but we really need to stop acting like girls don't do this stuff! Especially stressed out girls who get an endless parade of physical and mental pain for close to thirteen years!


	6. Flashback

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warning: violence, trauma flashbacks

Chapter 6

Riku opened his eyes, but he couldn't see anything around him. Wherever he was, it was pitch black and smelled vaguely of mold. He could hear the faint sounds of a scuffle taking place in front of him. Sora's voice cut through the cacophony, he sounded like he was in pain. As Riku's eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could make out two figures across the room: Sora, who was shirtless and covered in large but shallow gashes, and another, taller figure, hooded and cloaked. He advanced on Sora, who shrank away from him in terror.  
"Why are you doing this?" he pleaded.  
"I already told you," another voice said. "I'm here to take back what you owe me..." Riku recognized the voice immediately, and it made him cringe. Xigbar, the sadistic Nobody who nearly killed him mere weeks ago. He was holding a knife against Sora's chest. As he pressed the blade deeper, Sora began to whimper and then to cry openly. The sight of it was heart-wrenching to Riku, who began to struggle against the ropes that bound him.  
"Please!" Both Sora and Xigbar froze at Riku's sudden, desperate exclamation.  
"Oh, so you're awake," Xigbar said dismissively.  
"Please..." Riku repeated. "Leave Sora alone. Whatever you wanted to do to him... do it to me instead!"  
"Riku, NO!" Sora cried out desperately. Xigbar grinned evilly as he stood up and approached him.  
"Ya know, I might just take you up on your offer!" he said as he used the knife to cut away Riku's clothing. Within seconds, he began to slash violently at the boy's chest and shoulders, causing Riku to wince and cry out with each new cut.  
Next thing he knew, Sora had broken free of his own bounds and had leapt on Xigbar, Keyblade drawn and poised to kill. However, Xigbar must've known he had broken free, because at the next moment, he had blocked the younger boy's weapon with his own.  
Sora wasn't even given a chance to react before an energy bolt passed through his heart.  
"SORAAAA!" In a single moment of protective rage, Riku tore through his ropes and leaped on top of Xigbar, not bothering to use his Keyblade, just punching every inch of this cruel Nobody that he could find and finally choking the life out of him in cold fury. He didn't care, he wanted him dead at any cost. As he kneeled over the lifeless form of the Nobody, he suddenly remembered his friend.  
Sora was lying on the ground, shaking violently and choking up blood. Riku was at his side in an instant, gently lifting the boy into his arms. Sora opened his eyes.  
"Ri...ku..." he said weakly.  
"Try not to talk..." Riku said as panic began to set in. His friend was dying and he didn't even know where he was. "I'm gonna get you out of here, you're gonna be fine!" he babbled, clutching at the boy's hand desperately. Sora only looked at him and shook his head sadly.  
"I'm... sorry.... Riku, I-I... can't..." The boy suddenly went limp in Riku's arms and remained still, deathly still.  
Riku shook Sora's lifeless body, calling his name out desperately, not wanting to admit that he was gone. In the end, he held Sora's body close and sobbed brokenly, whispering his name repeatedly, an empty feeling beginning to grow in his heart...  
\---  
"SORA!"  
Riku bolted upright. Aqua and Lea ran to his side in concern. Reality began to set in. It was all just a dream, he kept reminding himself. Just a nightmare. But it felt so real. Reaching up to touch his face, he felt the wet tracks left by tears. He pulled his hand away, embarrassed.  
"Are you okay, Riku?" Lea asked.  
"I'm fine..." Riku muttered. "Just a bad dream..." He was still trying to convince himself that was all it was. He could still feel Sora's body going cold in his arms. The shock and heartbreak was very real though.  
"Do you want to talk about it?" Aqua asked.  
"No... It's not a big deal..." Riku looked up and took in his surroundings. He was lying on a couch in a small, dusty room. The place was warm and well constructed otherwise. He then looked at his companions. Both looked a bit worn out, but fine otherwise. Then he found himself staring at a pair of beady, black eyes and a round, red nose. He backed away in disbelief.  
"Aqua... Lea... why is there a moogle in here with us?" he asked.

\------

A couple hours later, The small party found themselves far away from the town and making their way towards the portal. The way was rugged and mostly uphill. Though Riku felt much better than he did a couple days ago, he still wasn't completely well and had difficulty traversing this path. They had to take frequent breaks, on Aqua's orders, but he didn't complain, knowing how dearly his stubborness had cost him last time.  
It was near nightfall by the time they got to their destination. Riku had left a small charm hidden nearby in case he got lost, and he quickly found it- a small turquoise stone with the Dream Eater sigil carved onto it. He scooped up the stone from the hollow he had left it in and returned to the others.  
"We're here. Just one more thing needs to be done, but we'll be out of this world soon. Aqua, you must be excited to know this." Riku said, smiling at her.  
"I can barely contain it!" Aqua exclaimed. Indeed, there was a barely concealed giddiness in her demeanor.  
"Well then, I'll need all of you to stay close- Lea, Aqua, uh..."  
"Kuro," the moogle proffered.  
"Kuro then. Stay close, in fact, it'd probably be best if you all took my hand or arm for this." The three of them complied, Aqua taking Riku's hand and Lea and Kuro both latching onto his arm. Using his free hand, Riku drew his Keyblade and held it aloft. A small bit of darkness flowed from his arm, channeled through the Keyblade, and shot into the sky. Aqua let out a yelp of fear when she saw Riku use darkness so freely.  
"Don't be afraid." Riku said. A mist began to gather, a bright blue light forming in the middle. A short time later, the mist began to envelop them. Aqua's eyes widened in horror, but Riku just closed his eyes and allowed the magic to work. Within minutes, the mist lifted them and carried them through the blue light, setting them on soft grass. It floated away, but did not completely dissipate.  
Aqua looked around in wonder. This place was in one of the worlds between, still close to the darkness, but it was the most light and color she had seen in close to thirteen years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kuro: a Japanese name meaning "ninth son"


	7. Homecoming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warning: rape mention

Chapter 7

It took Aqua a great amount of self-control to keep from falling down and rolling in the grass. It didn't stop her from kneeling down and running her fingers through it as soon as she stepped off the gummi ship and onto the grounds of the Mysterious Tower. After more than a decade of nothing but the dark, muted colors of the Realm of Darkness, the sight of bright green was a treat. Riku, Lea, and Kuro followed her out of the ship, each making diffent expressions at her.  
"Glad to be back, Aqua?" Riku asked, smiling as he saw Aqua happily petting the grass. Seeing her in her current state made all the pain and suffering of the past few days worth it. He wasn't given much time to reflect however, as he was greeted by a spiky-headed figure running full-speed across the grounds at him.  
"YOU'RE BACK! RIKU!" Sora ran into him so hard that it sent both of them flying backwards, Sora holding Riku in one of the tightest hugs he had ever received from him. Neither of them had much time to recover, as another person leaped on him, clutching both of them in a group hug.  
"Riku! The master told us you'd gotten hurt, are you all right?" Kairi asked breathlessly as she clung onto both of them. Riku shrugged both of his friends off of him and stood back up.  
"I'm fine, just glad to be back!" Riku answered, smiling. "But I have Aqua here to thank for that!" he added, gesturing to Aqua, who smiled.  
"Huh?" Sora said, looking at Aqua. "You're Master Aqua?" he asked, getting a smiling nod from Aqua in answer. "Hey, I've met you before! When Riku and I were little!" he said, excited.  
"I'm glad you remember!" Aqua said, beaming. "You've grown so much since then! All of you."  
"All of us?" Kairi said. "You know me?"  
"You mean you don't remember?" Aqua asked sadly. "I remember you, you gave me flowers to thank me for saving you from an unversed."  
"Don't worry about it, Aqua. She doesn't have many memories of her home world." Sora reassured her. "I think somebody may have erased them."  
"I understand," Aqua said. "Though I'm sure we'll make other memories here!"  
They were all interrupted by the sound of their master clearing his throat. Yen Sid strode calmly across the grounds. Aqua quickly bowed low to him, but he motioned for her to stand again.  
"Welcome home, Master Aqua." He said serenely. Gesturing for them to follow him, he turned around and headed back to the tower. Riku, Aqua, Lea, and Kuro gathered together in the loft, where Riku immediately apologized for their lateness.  
"I am aware of what happened in the Dark Realm." Yen Sid responded. "You had an understandable cause for delay. Speaking of which... may I?" He added, motioning to Riku's arm. Riku, understanding the sorcerer's intentions, immediately unwound the bandages that covered his arm, exposing the injury for his master to inspect. All that remained of the wound on Riku's arm was a long but thin cut. Yen Sid gently ran his fingers over the mark, feeling intently for any signs of swelling or scarring.  
"You've tended this well, Aqua." he said, impressed. "I daresay that this won't even leave a scar once it's healed."  
"We probably wouldn't have been delayed at all if I had just let her tend to it when she first offered to." Riku added bitterly.  
"Indeed." Yen Sid said with a resigned sigh. However, a severe expression formed on his face. "Stubbornness can be a bigger liability than it can be an asset. There are times when we all must swallow our pride and ask for help. I can only hope that this excursion taught you your lesson."  
"Rest assured, I won't make that same mistake twice." Riku answered.  
Yen Sid nodded, smiling. "Very well. We've prepared a room for Aqua during your absence, but I wasn't expecting a second newcomer." he turned his gaze to Kuro as he spoke. "Will you be in need of lodging?" he asked.  
"Well... just for tonight should be fine." Kuro said. "But I'd like to leave and find some of my friends or family soon."  
"You can room with me tonight then." Lea offered. Kuro looked at him in disbelief(he had tried to leave him behind in the Dark Realm) but nodded.  
"Well then, with that matter settled, I guess I can dismiss you all. Aqua, I'll have Sora show you to your room, and Riku, if you could, please find the others and inform them that the evening training sessions are cancelled for tonight?"  
"Sure, but why?"  
"A lost Master has returned home today. This is a cause for celebration."

\------

It turned out that an evening off wasn't the only way Yen Sid had planned to celebrate Aqua's homecoming. They were all surprised with a feast for their evening meal. All of them ate their fill, but the four that recently returned from the Dark Realm ate ravenously. Though he had to caution them to slow down repeatedly, Yen Sid could understand their hunger. Riku and Lea had been surviving on battle rations for the past week (three days in Lea's case), but he had no idea what Aqua and Kuro had been living on during their stay in the realm.  
He made a point to ask Aqua more about it once she recovered more. For now, he focused on the small talk happening around him.  
"So Riku, how'd you hurt your arm in the first place?" Sora asked curiously.  
"Let my guard down around a Lancer." Riku answered. "I'm glad it didn't rip my arm off!"   
"Still came dangerously close though." Aqua chimed in. "You should've gone to me when it started troubling you. Believe me, I can understand why you wanted out of the realm, but I don't think stalling for one more day to get that treated would've killed you. I still don't wanna think what would've happened in Kuro didn't give us that medicine."  
"Master Yen Sid already lectured me about that, Aqua. And yes, that is one mistake I won't be making twice." Riku was getting visibly annoyed with the subject.  
"Well, I'm grateful to you and Kuro." Sora said. "Riku and Kairi are both very special to me, and I don't know what I'd do without them!"   
"We already came dangerously close once." Kairi said. "It was a very stressful time for all of us."  
"Lea told me about it." Aqua said. "And I'm sorry you had to go through that."   
Riku's eyes narrowed. "Just what did you say to her Lea?" he asked suspiciously.  
"Just that you got stabbed in the World that Never Was! I didn't go into too many details!" Lea said defensively.  
Riku continued to stare him down, then his expression changed to a forlorn one. He might have revealed too much in that exchange alone.  
"I... I think I've had enough to eat..." Riku said, standing up. "I'll be in my room if anyone needs me."  
\---  
He stood there, facing the warm spray of a shower, letting the water run down his face and body, carrying the filth and weariness of the past few days with it.  
Yet again, he didn't have faith in his companions, and became suspicious of Lea. And in his suspicion he may have gone and revealed too much himself: that something had happened in the World that Never Was that he was ashamed of.  
The Organization had targeted Sora, and in their eagerness to get him, they kidnapped Riku in the hope that Sora would give himself up willingly to save his friend- or at the very least walk right into their stronghold to save him. And one of the Organization's members had turned rogue and raped him, to get even with Sora for killing Demyx.  
The only ones who knew were Lea and Yen Sid- who had seen the injuries firsthand, and Sora, who he confided in during a drug-addled moment of weakness. He still wasn't ready to tell anyone else, afraid that they'd ask questions and trigger a flashback.  
Riku got out of the shower a short time later, feeling cleaner and a bit more level-headed. After drying off and getting dressed, he walked into his room to find Sora fast asleep in his bed.  
It wasn't unlike Sora to do this after one of them returned from an extended absence, it had been a habit of his ever since the three of them returned to the island for the first time after their second adventure. Though it normally annoyed Riku, who valued his space, this time he was grateful to find the boy there. He gently moved Sora to one side of the bed and climbed in. The younger boy stirred slightly and opened his eyes.  
"Huh? Oh, hi Riku," he said groggily. "You ok? You seemed troubled earlier."  
"I just got a bit scared for a moment..." Riku admitted.  
"Cuz of what Lea said?"  
"Yeah. I was afraid he might have told Aqua exactly what happened in the World that Never Was."  
"What Xigbar did?"  
"I'm still not ready to tell everyone about that."  
"I understand. And Lea does too. I know he can be a jerk sometimes, but he's not that big of a jerk, Riku."  
"I realized that when it was too late, and made a bit of an ass of myself in the process."  
"Well, nobody here thinks any less of you for it."  
"I'm grateful for that. Sora, I'm glad to be in the company of such forgiving people. It really does help. I don't know what I would've done if you guys didn't let me back in. To this day, I still have a hard time feeling worthy of anything."  
"You are worthy, Riku. Yen Sid doesn't name Keyblade masters on a whim."  
"Thanks for reminding me." Riku said with a smile. He began to feel more at ease and relaxed into his pillows. Sora curled up against him, burying his face in Riku's chest. Riku laid one arm protectively over the younger boy and closed his eyes, listening to Sora's soft, steady breathing. The sound soothed him, and he soon found himself falling into a deep sleep.


	8. Interlude

Chapter 8

Riku woke up feeling as though he'd been force fed a boulder. His stomach was churning and hurt badly. It was one of the reasons why he was in a particularly irritable mood when he joined the others for the morning meal. Sora and Kairi were talking quietly to each other, and Aqua was sitting patiently at one end of the table. Lea let out a big yawn as Kuro joined them.  
"So, what's for breakfast?" the moogle asked, just in time for Donald and Goofy to walk in, each carrying a small assortment of dishes and setting one down in front of each person. It appeared as though they had combined some of last night's leftovers with eggs to make a dish that was both sweet and savory.  
Under normal circumstances, it would've looked very appetizing, but Riku was only able to look at the colorful concoction for all of three seconds before he sprang up and ran from the room, clutching at his mouth.  
Everyone looked toward the door, alarmed, and Lea stood up and picked up the chair Riku had knocked over during his mad dash out of the room.  
"What's up with him?" he asked.  
"I have a theory..." Kuro said, picking up a spoonful of his own food and sniffing at it. "It's gotta be the medicine. It was expired, after all. Riku's probably having a bad reaction to it."  
"It's not gonna hurt him, is it?" Sora asked, alarmed.  
"No, but he's probably gonna feel terrible for a couple days. I think some ginger tea might help him though."  
"I can prepare that for him." Aqua said. "I've worked with herbs a lot in the Dark Realm. Do you have a place where I can get the supplies I need?"  
"There is a small area dedicated to potion making not far from your room. Use whatever you need, just use caution. There are dangerous items in that room too."  
"Understood."

\------

Riku barely made it to his bathroom before he lost last night's dinner in a single, violent heave. He continued to kneel there, violently choking and heaving like that for at least a half hour before he was convinced he had completely emptied his stomach. He rinsed his mouth out and left the room, where he collapsed on his bed, completely drained.  
Aqua found him in this state a short time later- curled up on the bed drenched in cold sweat, trembling each time his stomach contracted. She set the mug of tea she had prepared down on the bedside table and sat on the edge of the bed, reaching a hesitating hand out to touch him.  
"You okay?" she asked.  
"Couldn't be better," Riku said bitterly. He felt horrible, sick to his stomach, and embarrassed. He hated being sick, not only because it was a huge inconvenience to both himself and those around him, but because it often left him the target for unwanted attention. Yet he mentioned none of this to Aqua, he knew she just wanted to help.  
"I brought you something to help settle your stomach a little." Aqua said. "It'll probably taste really bitter, but it should work."  
Riku turned his head towards the mug on the table, and his stomach clenched painfully as his nose registered the strong, spicy scent of ginger. He choked slightly.  
"You should probably drink it slowly, though..." Aqua said sympathetically as she picked up the mug and placed it in Riku's hands. He took a small, hesitant sip and, after realizing he was able to keep it down, took in a little bit more. The heat of the tea and the herbs within both served to soothe his stomach, and he was able to function a bit better.  
"What's going on with me anyways?" Riku asked.  
"Kuro thinks it's the medicine we gave you to treat your arm. It was expired, but it was all we could find, so we took our chances with it."  
"I see. Then I won't complain. I'm still very lucky to have gotten out of there in one piece."  
"You seemed pretty upset last night. Did something happen?" Aqua asked, trying to approach the subject gently.  
"Something stirred up a bad memory, that's all."  
"Well... if you ever want to talk about that, I'll listen. Trust me, sometimes it hurts worse when we keep things bottled up."  
"I know, and... I'll definitely find you if I feel ready to talk about it. But what if I never do?"  
"Then you probably haven't found the right person to confide in."

\------

The stars were especially bright that night, so much so that Kairi wanted to sleep outside under them. But she wanted someone to share the simple wonder of the night with. That was what found her wandering from room to room, trying to invite anyone else that she could.   
Her efforts were proving fruitless. Riku was still feeling a little ill. Aqua was in council with Yen Sid. She got no response from Lea when she knocked on his door, but was convinced she could hear him snoring inside.  
The only one who was willing and able to join her was Sora. So the pair of them dragged out the thickest, warmest blankets they could find and curled up on the grass outside, talking quietly to each other.  
"Isn't it something?" Kairi said. Sora looked up, a small smile showing on his face, but said nothing. "It's a shame the others had to miss it. But at least I have you all to myself now!" she snuggled up close to Sora as she said this. The boy wrapped an arm around her and drew her in closer, keeping her warm. The night was chilly, but not terrible. They were well prepared.  
"Always a silver lining!" Sora agreed. "Though I wish we could've gotten more moments like this before everything... happened."  
"Once this war is over, we'll have more chances like this. And who know, maybe we could take things to a new level after that."  
"Well, that's another reason to keep fighting then."  
"I'm certainly looking forward to it. I've been saving myself for that moment, and I know you have been too..."  
Sora froze, the memory of a certain drug-induced interlude quickly returning to the surface. He never told Kairi about it, at first because he was still shocked by the encounter himself, and after that, he simply forgot. Kairi stared at him.  
"Is something wrong, Sora?"  
"Uhhhhh... Kairi... about that..."


	9. Fogberry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warning: mild violence, rape mention

Chapter 9  
The sharp, resounding sound of a slap broke across the tower grounds. Lea, who was headed outside for a breath of fresh air, was nearly knocked flat by Kairi, who had furiously stormed in, Keyblade drawn.  
"Whoa, whoa! Where are you headed in such a hurry?" he asked, startled.  
"To find Riku, I'm gonna castrate him!" Kairi said, storming off. Sora walked through the door, sporting a red handprint across his face. Lea looked at him, incredulous.  
"What's gotten into her?" he asked.  
"I just told her about the... incident..." Sora said, a deep blush forming that nearly matched the bruise on his face.  
"What incident?"  
"Ugh... don't make me say it! Okay, fine! Riku and I got exposed to one of master Yen Sid's concoctions, and it messed with our heads! And after that... well..." he broke off, his face going a shade redder.  
Lea stared at Sora for a few seconds, confused. Then realization dawned on him, and he burst out laughing.  
"No way! I'd always known that you and Riku were close, but that close? Which one of you was on top???"  
Sora's face was now as red as a tomato, and he was starting to get annoyed. "It didn't go that far, Lea!" he said through gritted teeth.  
Yen Sid and Aqua hurried down the stairs, alarmed by the commotion, meanwhile Riku emerged from his room with a calmer but still angry-looking Kairi close behind. Riku was sporting his own handprint shaped bruise, but it didn't look as though Kairi had followed through on her threat.  
"What is going on down here?" Yen Sid exclaimed.  
"It's my fault, master." Riku said. "Sora just told Kairi about something that happened a few weeks ago. Something that probably would've never happened if I had warned Sora about the medicine I was using at the time."  
"What on earth was in that medicine anyways?" Sora asked, as Lea fought off laughter behind him.  
"I don't remember every ingredient I used, but I suspect Sora and Riku were affected by the fogberry extract I used."  
"Fogberry?" Kairi asked.  
"Yes. It's an uncommon little berry from an outlying world, whose juice has potent painkilling properties. However, it's also infamous for the strong effects it's fumes can have on one's senses."  
"To be honest, I'm amazed that you thought it was safe to use them on a child..." Aqua said. Riku felt offended by the fact that Aqua had just called him a child. "Oh, I'm familiar with fogberries." Aqua continued. "People would only use them as a last resort, even in the Dark Realm, and they can only be grown by herbalists in the world they hail from. Apparently there used to be a serious problem with them in the past- they were common tools in cases of rape or murder!"  
The others couldn't believe what they were seeing. Apart from Lea, nobody was brave (or foolish) enough to lecture Yen Sid. Even the old sorcerer looked taken aback, and they could see something else in his demeanor. It looked like remorse.  
"Forgive me." Yen Sid said. "This moment is proof that we never truly stop learning, no matter how old we get. I honestly didn't know that I was working with something that dangerous."  
"Don't worry about it..." Riku said. "Nobody here was seriously hurt by it."  
"And, well, nothing happened without permission that night..." Sora added. "I'm really sorry, Kai. I should've told you."  
"You should have..." Kairi agreed. "I would have understood." She was a lot calmer, but looked visibly hurt.  
"We'll make it up to you." Riku said. "Maybe we could take that trip I promised you, but it'll have to be in a few days. I'm still not completely over this... stomachache I've been dealing with."  
"Oh, yeah!" Sora exclaimed. "Did I tell you Kairi? Riku wants to take us to Christmas Town!"

\------

It took several days for Kairi's anger to completely dissipate, though the journey to Christmas Town certainly helped matters.  
She looked adorable in the world's attire- a mint green elf's outfit with pink and white striped arm warmers and leggings. Riku had somehow managed to make his own style preference work in this snowy world too. He wore a fur-lined, hooded white vest. A yellow scarf was wrapped around his neck, and he wore black arm warmers to further protect him from the chill.  
As expected, the first place Sora dragged them to was Santa's house. Riku, knowing that he had told Sora he didn't believe in him on countless occasions, was expecting a lecture, but he was pleasantly surprised to find that Santa was kind and wise. He reminded him a lot of Yen Sid.  
The trio spent the rest of their day exploring the town, as well as the world connected to it. Sora knew Halloweentown from his past adventures, and Riku knew it because one of Maleficent's flunkies came from this world. Though Kairi claimed that the world gave her the creeps at first, she seemed to get more comfortable and friendly with it's inhabitants over time. Eventually the time came for them to return home, but they felt lighter at heart for it.  
\---  
Aqua was in council with Yen Sid again when they returned to the tower. They stood in the foyer, speaking in hushed but intense tones. Both froze and looked up when the trio walked in.  
"Welcome back, I hope you all enjoyed yourselves." Aqua said.  
"Is everything okay?" Sora asked.  
"Oh? Uh, we were just discussing something..."  
Yen Sid interrupted her, speaking to the three of them directly. "I think we've kept everything from these three long enough, Aqua. What we were discussing concerns you three, especially you, Sora."  
"Me?"  
Yen Sid nodded solemnly. "Yes. Aqua has stated her suspicions to me numerous times, and Riku's own testimony of what happened after the Mark of Mastery exam is evidence to confirm her suspicions."  
"What?" The three of them asked in unison.  
"Riku, you told me that you met a few people while you walked within Sora's dreams. Two of whom you said you never met before. Can you describe them for me?"  
"Yes. One of them was a girl with black hair who looked very similar to Kairi. She was dressed in the Organization's robes, but she didn't look like she meant any harm. And the other was a boy who greatly resembled Roxas- he had spiky blond hair, blue eyes, and boyish features. He wore a strange object on his shoulder, like an incomplete shoulder guard."  
"The boy you just mentioned, he fits the description of one of my missing friends." Aqua said. "His name is Ventus, but everyone called him Ven. You said you saw him while you were in Sora's dreams?"  
"Yes."  
"That settles it." Yen Sid said. "Sora, we have very good reason to believe that Ventus' heart lies dormant within you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't been able to get the image of Riku and Kairi's Christmastown outfits out of my head ever since I wrote the descriptions for them. I might draw them. If I do, I will feature them on my Tumblr blog.


	10. Castle Oblivion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warning: blood, mild violence

Chapter 10  
"Inside him? But wouldn't that mean..."  
Almost immediately, Kairi knew the ramifications of this new information. Her eyes widened, and she took Sora's hand in a grip so strong it caused the boy to yelp in pain and surprise.  
"Yes, it means we'd have to extract Ven's heart from Sora's body at some point, and it could potentially cost Sora his own heart in the process. This is what connects you to this unique case. You're a Princess of Heart, meaning you are one of the few out there who will be able to restore Sora to his own form once the process is complete."  
"But I still don't know how I did that last time! What if I can't do it again?" Kairi was beginning to panic. Aqua strode over to Kairi and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.  
"When the time comes, you'll know what to do." Aqua said. "You just need to believe in yourself."  
"I don't wanna lose him..."  
"I know you can do it Kairi." Sora said. "I'd trust you with my life. We're both going to get through this."

\------

Kairi continued to doubt herself up to the moment they departed for Castle Oblivion. She was visibly trembling as she took those first steps onto the gummi ship that would take them to that world.  
Almost everyone from the tower joined them on the journey: Aqua leading Sora and Kairi to where Ven's body rested. Lea and Riku were there to protect them from any threats. This world was under Organization XIII's domain, and nobody knew if any of their members would be stationed there during this mission.  
Lea had not forgotten about the fogberry incident and was using every available moment of their time together to make crude jokes and remarks within earshot of Sora and Riku. He went to far at one point, suggesting that Sora had something other than milk tea in the cup he was holding during a meal break. This had caused Sora to choke and flush a bright shade of red before standing up and throwing the still-scalding tea in Lea's face. Lea shrieked in pain and rage before storming off, yelling a string of profanities that would make even a pervert blush.  
There was a great deal of tension on the gummi ship after that. The entire party practically fell out of the ship when they arrived. Everyone fanned out and explored for a short time, making sure they weren't followed, then Aqua called Sora and Kairi over to her. They walked into the castle.   
Lea and Riku got into a small fight over who would have to scout the maze-like interior of the castle while Aqua and the others found and woke Ventus. Riku won, so Lea stomped into the castle, scowling, while Riku began to scout the perimeter of the grounds.

\------

Getting to the chamber of awakening required going through a specific combination of worlds, all crafted of Aqua's memories. Only she knew the exact combination.   
Sora walked through each memory with awe. Some of these worlds were familiar, but others were places that he had never seen before. Sometimes Aqua would break down in the middle of a world, crying softly to herself, before regaining composure and pressing on.  
It soon began to dawn on Sora: Aqua was reliving the journey that had left her and Ventus in this situation. Sometimes she would encounter a tall, muscular youth. Sora could vaguely remember him- this person had spoken with Riku when he visited the islands, leaving the younger boy curious.   
The final world they went through was one that neither Sora nor Kairi knew. It had a similar feel to the Mysterious Tower. In one part of the memory, they passed through what looked like a training course, in another- a vast, cathedral-like hall. The door that led from this hall was different from the others: It glowed bright white and was marked with the Mark of Mastery symbol.   
Inside this room, it was stark white and unadorned, save for a simple white throne. A figure sat there, clearly in a deep sleep.  
"Ven!" Aqua rushed to his side, taking his hand and stroking his hair tenderly. Ven did not respond, remaining still as stone and deep in sleep. "I'm here, Ven. I'm sorry it took me so long, but I've come to wake you up. Then we'll find Terra and this'll all be over." It was clear that Aqua was fighting back tears as she continued to absently stroke the boy's hair.   
Kairi looked frightened as she watched them. Sora approached her and spoke gently, not wanting to frighten her even more.  
"Kairi... I think it's time..." he said. He had drawn his Keyblade as he spoke, and was aiming it at his chest. "Everything's going to be fine, trust me!" he added as he plunged the tip of the weapon in. A deep, golden glow surrounded the boy, and he began to fade.  
"Sora? SORA!" Panic had set in, and Kairi rushed around the room, looking everywhere she could for any inkling of her friend. She turned around in her frenzy, and found herself face to face with someone. It wasn't Sora, but it was still someone very familiar.  
"Roxas?" Kairi asked in disbelief. Roxas smiled and looked around the room.  
"I guess Sora brought me back too, when he freed Ven's heart. By the way, you don't need to worry about Sora. He is very close, I can feel it." A look of surprise appeared on his face as he spoke. "Just like I thought. Look behind you."  
Kairi turned around to see the frail, dark form of a Shadow timidly approaching her.  
"Sora?" Kairi said uncertainly. The Heartless was clearly trying to get close, but not with intent to attack. It looked scared.  
"It's okay, nobody here is going to hurt you..." Kairi said, reaching out to touch the small creature. "I won't let anything happen to you." She took one of it's clawed hands in her own. That was when the tears began to fall. "Everything will be okay, it has to be okay! Please, Sora!" She held the small creature close to her, sobbing uncontrollably, terrified that she would fail, dooming Sora to this form for the rest of his life.  
A blindingly bright light suddenly burst between them. Once the light died down and visibility returned, Kairi found that she was no longer holding a frail, wispy creature. Sora had wrapped his own arms around the girl as soon as his form was restored.  
"See, I told you everything was gonna be fine," he said, gently wiping away her tears.  
Aqua let out a cry that brought all of them running. Ventus was stirring slightly, struggling to shake off the effects of nearly thirteen years of sleep. His eyes fluttered open. He looked around, confused.  
"Ven!" Aqua said, throwing her arms around him. He still wore the same confused expression as she embraced him.  
"Wh... where am I?" he asked, voice slightly slurred.

\------

Riku was beginning to regret wanting to scout outside. The grounds were devoid of vegetation, meaning he had nothing to protect him from the glaring afternoon sun. His face and neck were already sunburned and stinging terribly.  
He sought out the most sheltered place he could find and caught his breath. He suspected it would take some time for them to find the chamber of waking and complete the ritual, but he wasn't expecting it to take this long. He hoped it was nearly done. He was getting overheated and very thirsty.  
A sudden noise brought him back to attention. He jumped up and drew his Keyblade.  
"Who's there?" he exclaimed.

\------

Some of Ven's confusion had subsided since they left the chamber, but he still clearly needed to know more about what had happened. Aqua and the others had tried to explain everything to him to the best of their ability, but there were still missing points.  
Sora was greatly annoyed to find Lea fast asleep in a corner of one of the halls. After getting a long lecture from Sora, Aqua, and Kairi, Lea suddenly noticed that there was one more in their party than he was expecting.  
"No way..." he said, eyes wide and tearing up. "Roxas? Am I still dreaming?"  
After a brief reunion, the group left the castle and began to look around the grounds for Riku. They searched every inch of the grounds for close to an hour, all shouting his name, but he didn't answer them. They had simply thought he was out of range and unable to hear them, but that theory was crushed once Kairi ducked into a corner that had been overlooked. What she saw made her eyes widen in horror.  
"Everyone! Come quick!"  
They all rushed over to her, following her voice. What Sora saw when he got to her was enough to make him violently ill.  
The area looked as though an earthquake had just hit it. Debris was scattered everywhere, and the structure of the surrounding area had been completely destroyed.  
But the thing that shocked everyone the most was the disturbing amount of blood that was splattered across the ruins.


	11. Dark Medicine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warning: blood, graphic medical detail

Chapter 11  
Maleficent had never expected the Heartless to turn on her like that. She was now rushing back to Twilight Town as fast as she could, holding the cost of her blunder tightly to her chest.   
She had ordered a small group of Heartless to subdue the boy and bring him to her. It had taken far longer than she was counting on, so she went to investigate. That was when she found her target lying in a mangled heap, the Heartless closing in, intent on devouring his heart. She had taken care of the creatures personally, vanquishing every last one of them.  
She felt a warm dampness beginning to soak into her robes. She knew it was blood. Riku had been slowly bleeding to death ever since she found him among the ruins. Yet the boy still managed to hold on, despite the seriousness of his condition. For all accounts he should've been dead on site. Maleficent had always been awed by Riku's strength, something she and Ansem had never been able to agree on. It seemed as though it had never left him.  
\---  
Ansem took one look at the mangled, bloody form in Maleficent's arms and scoffed in distaste. The pair of them rushed into the room they had prepared for the boy.  
"You tried to control Heartless, didn't you?" he asked coldly as he watched Maleficent lay Riku on the bed. She said nothing in response, but her demeanor told the full tale.  
"It's lucky the boy didn't die on your watch!" he seethed. "If he had, Xehanort would have both our hides! Hopefully this will serve as a reminder of why we don't use Heartless in the Twilight worlds!"  
A sound interrupted his lecture- a low moan. Riku had tried to wake up, but the pain had forced him back into unconsciousness. His breathing was very labored, and a thin stream of blood had dribbled out of the corner of his mouth.  
"We could still lose him!" Ansem said urgently, turning his attention to Riku.   
"What can we do for him?" Maleficent asked.  
"You've done enough!" Ansem spat at her. "Leave!" Maleficent looked offended, but knew better than to cross Ansem when he was angry. She turned around and left the room, only uttering one final remark before closing the door behind her.  
"Go easy on him."  
Ansem turned his attention back to the boy. Riku's body was covered in large, deep puncture wounds, at least one of them going completely through him. Clearly the work of a Lancer. On top of that, nearly every bone in his body was broken- evidence that he had been crushed by a Large Body. Ansem sighed as he examined the boy, and began to build up mana in his palm.  
"You're not going to like this..." he said as he laid a single hand on the boy's hip, just underneath the deepest of the puncture wounds. A small number of thin, black tendrils of pure Darkness erupted from the tips of his fingers, plunging into the wound and seeking out places where flesh had been torn. The tendrils would then stitch the wounds shut until an injection of potion was given, closing the wound completely.  
It was a slow and painful process, but it was one Ansem had perfected over the years. Being unable to use Light magic in any form had left him unable to heal when he needed it most. It was a moment of desperation that had inspired him to use Darkness as a form of medicine. With time and practice, he had found that his method was actually more precise than cure spells.   
The next part was going to be especially rough on both of them. But the boy had been through much worse in the past. Ansem knew he would survive this. The same tendrils of Darkness that had sewn his wounds shut had now began to wind themselves tightly around Riku's limbs, some of them working their way across his chest and into strategically placed incisions, where they would eventually wrap themselves around the broken bones inside his body. Ansem manipulated the tendrils the whole time, guiding them to carefully and precisely set each break.   
He had to hold this position until the elixir he had dosed the boy with took full effect.  
The screaming had begun about halfway into the procedure, a loud, agonized sound that would probably have broken the hearts of softer people. It was clear that Riku was in a great deal of pain. But Ansem stood there coldly as he watched the boy struggle under his ministrations. His sudden return to strength was a good sign, it meant the elixir had begun to set in. He wouldn't have to stand there, wasting his mana for much longer.  
He finished a short time later, only lingering long enough to make sure the boy was still breathing before leaving the room.

\------

Maleficent returned to the room a short time later to find the boy in a restless sleep. His face was tense with pain and his body was shaking. It was obvious that Ansem was doing nothing to make him comfortable.   
She had taken it upon herself to prepare an herbal medicine that would help him rest. When she returned to the room, she found Ansem there, looking down at the boy with an expressionless face. She paid him no mind and sat at the bedside, holding the small vial of potent-smelling liquid to Riku's lips.  
"You really shouldn't coddle him." Ansem said coldly as he watched her.  
"Wasn't that part of our mission? To try to regain his trust?" Maleficent replied. Ansem could not think of an answer.  
"If you must... just don't get too attached." he warned.  
\---  
Riku slept for several hours, gradually improving with each passing moment. Then, by nightfall, he began to talk in his sleep.  
"Sora? Kairi?" his voice was hoarse and faint, but the words were clearly discernible. The only one who could actually hear him was Ansem, who did not reply.  
"Is anybody... there?" Riku called out to nobody in particular. "Please... so... thirsty..."  
Considering the warm location he had come from, it was no surprise that the boy was feeling parched. Ansem actually considered indulging him, and got up, only to find Maleficent already standing in the doorway, clutching a glass of water in her hand. She had obviously been there long enough to hear the boy's plea.  
She was starting to take a bizarre interest in the boy. He made a point to keep an eye on that as he watched her kneel at the bedside and hold the water glass to his mouth. Riku drank it greedily.  
"Easy child, you'll make yourself sick!" Maleficent rebuked, chuckling slightly.  
That was when realization set in: this voice didn't belong to a friend. Riku's eyes snapped open, and he began to back away slowly.  
"Wh-where am I? And why are YOU here?" he asked, alarmed.  
"As for the first question. I'm not at liberty to tell you." Riku jumped at the voice and turned around.   
"Ansem!" he exclaimed in horror.  
"As for the other question, I should think it quite obvious."  
"I refuse to align myself with Darkness, least of all for you!" he seethed.  
"We thought you'd say that. That's why we've been ordered to bring it out of you. By any means necessary..." those last words were a threat, and Riku knew it was one that Ansem would follow through on.  
"What would you do?"  
"Do you really want to find out? Ansem said darkly. "Or did you already forget about your stay in the World that Never Was?"  
Riku's eyes widened.  
"I thought as much." Ansem turned around to walk out of the room. "I'm done here for tonight. Oh, and one more thing. No funny business. We've suppressed your powers, so you can only use magic under my supervision."  
"WHAT?"  
Ansem smiled darkly. "Pleasant dreams, boy!" he said as he walked out. Maleficent followed close behind him and closed the door.  
Riku jumped out of bed and began to pace around the room angrily, until his eyes caught sight of the empty glass on the nightstand. He scooped up the glass and held it tightly in his hand, breathing heavily. This must have been how they were doing it. With a shriek of rage, he threw the glass against the door, where it shattered on impact. He fell to his knees, tears threatening to surface.  
He had to think of a way to get out of there.


	12. Lining the Pieces up

Chapter 12  
They didn't find Riku's body among the ruins. It was a sign that was equally as hopeful as it was disconcerting, as it meant that he was still alive, but nobody knew where.  
Sora was distraught. While he too knew that there were high odds of his friend's survival, he didn't know where he was, who had taken him, or what was happening to him at that very moment. Only Roxas could console him, but only for so long.  
The trip home was emotional for so many reasons, and naturally, that made it a very tense trip. Like with Aqua's homecoming, Yen Sid had Donald and Goofy at work preparing a homecoming feast for Ven. The festivities were quickly cut short with the news of Riku's disappearance. Training was cancelled that evening. The entire group graciously allowed Aqua and Ven to remain at the tower to reconnect, but the rest of the party immediately set out in search of Riku, fanning out across many worlds.

\------

Ansem was as merciless as ever, having a fondness for inflicting pain to drill his lessons into a student. And this student was proving to be a challenge. Riku was sullen, agitated, and unwilling to comply. The boy often retired for the night covered in welts and bruises that were not of his own making.  
Maleficent was worried, convinced that Ansem would kill Riku before he could get through to him. Yet whenever she tried to make the heartless go easier on him, Ansem would snap at her and order her to leave.  
Riku had torn his chambers apart in search of the sigil that was binding his powers, yet there was no sign of anything unusual. For three nights now, he had endured Ansem's abuse and Maleficent's condescending behavior. She was acting kindly, almost motherly to him, but he knew it was an act, an attempt on her part to bring his guard down and let in the Darkness.  
He wasn't going to comply, never again. He didn't like it, the way Ansem's corrupting Darkness took hold of his mind and body. Even thinking about it made him shudder.  
The door unlocked, and Maleficent walked in, carrying a tray that held his afternoon meal. The dishes arranged on it looked very appealing, but Riku didn't feel like eating. He turned his nose up to it.  
"Please, child!" Maleficent pleaded with him. Riku hated it, that demeaning pet name. He was not a child anymore. "You'll make yourself sick if you keep starving yourself." she continued.  
"You've gotten good at this." Riku snarked. "For a moment there, it sounded almost like you really cared..." he said coldly.  
"Riku!" She sounded hurt by the accusation.  
"Just go away!"  
Maleficent sighed. "Very well. I'll just leave this here if you get hungry later." she said, motioning to the tray. She stood up and strode slowly to the door. Riku heard the soft click of a lock as she closed the door behind her. He looked over to the tray of food. They were feeding him better than his captors in the World that Never was, almost as well as he was fed at the tower.  
He held up a dish and smelled it, trying to get some idea of his location from the fare he was given. A mild, but flavorful fish curry, served over rice that had a faint green color. A lot of the food he was given was seafood, meaning he was currently in a world near an ocean. He sighed, so many worlds were located in or near an ocean. But the architecture of his current dwelling was clearly not the style of Neverland or Destiny Islands, so that cancelled them out. Atlantica was mostly underwater, yet he was clearly on dry land.  
That left Port Royal and Twilight Town, and he doubted that either of his captors had been to Port Royal. Riku sighed and allowed himself a mouthful of the curry, giving him a diversion from the bleak thoughts forming in his mind. He should've known they'd choose Twilight Town. He'd spent close to a year in this town, in his own personal brand of hell. No better place to try to force the Darkness out of him then a place that was known to trigger flashbacks.  
As he mused and ate more of the food he was given, he noticed something glittering next to the tray. He scooped it up and stared at it. It seemed as though Maleficent had forgotten to bring the key to his room with her when she left. He pocketed it with a mischievous grin. He knew it was only one key, that every entrance to the building he was in was probably locked and closely guarded, but he also knew that whatever bound his powers was only in this room. He could sneak out and send word to Yen Sid with this.

\------

A boy with silver hair stood before Xehanort, who looked him over closely before addressing him.  
"So I imagine you know why you're here?"  
"Yes." the boy said in a flat, cold voice. "Because you have a power that would aid me in my... cause..."  
"And what is your cause?"  
"Vengeance."  
Ansem walked into the chamber as he watched his human form talking with the boy. Xehanort paid him no mind as he continued his discussion.  
"If that is what you desire, I can aid you. I understand, what happened to your friend is unjust."  
"That... thing... he killed Sora, then stole his form. Now he has to pay!" the boy snarled.  
Xehanort smiled. "He will." Then he did something to the boy that made a bright blue glow form around him. "There, now you have the strength you need to avenge your friend."  
"Thank you, Master Xehanort." the boy said, tears in his eyes as he bowed low.  
Ansem took a long look at the boy as he walked out of the chamber. He turned to Xehanort as soon as the boy was out of earshot.  
"Was that...?"  
"Just a replica." Xehanort said dismissively. "On that subject, thank you for gleaning the memories needed to make them. They should make a nice diversion until we can acquire our final vessels."  
"We'll need all the time we can get at this rate." Ansem said irritably.  
"So, Riku continues to resist?"  
"He's proving to be one of the most headstrong little bastards I've ever had to work with!"  
"Whatever the matter, do not let up on him. Do whatever you must to turn him, just remember that time is running out!" Xehanort said urgently. "As it is, we're two seats short thanks to Xigbar's treachery."  
"What of Sora?"  
"We're still looking for a way to acquire him. But, we may have a possible alternative if Sora or Riku were to fall out of reach. Word is, Roxas has returned."  
"Is that so? Well then, we'll have to start looking for him as well."  
"Knowing that fool, Axel, Roxas will prove to be just as hard to acquire. Be on your guard."  
"Of course..." Ansem said as he bowed and took his leave.


	13. Impostor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warning: violence, suicide

Chapter 13  
Lea didn't believe what he had seen. He was searching Radient Garden, asking anyone who was willing to listen if they had seen a boy who fit Riku's description. He kept getting negative responses, though many people offered to keep an eye out for him.  
It all began to unfold in the canyon. He had traveled down to the canyon floor seeking a shortcut, it was a lot faster to cut across than to go around. There he found Sora, who was staring down the last person he expected to see in the open.  
Riku was staring daggers at Sora, shouting accusations and threats at the younger boy, who was tearfully trying to reason with him.  
"But Riku, it is me!" Sora begged. "Don't you recognize me?"  
"Liar!" Riku shrieked. "The real Sora is dead. I saw it happen with my own eyes. You... you're the one who did it! Impostor!"  
"RIKU PLEASE!" Sora screamed.  
"ENOUGH!" Riku lunged at him, Soul Eater in hand. Sora could only block his attacks, not wanting to hurt him. It wasn't until Riku shot a spell at Sora, knocking the boy off his feet, that Lea intervened. Shoving Sora out of the way, he engaged Riku personally, intent on subduing him without causing severe injury. It was all over with one swift blow to the head. Riku fell to the ground in a heap. Sora ran to his side, shaking him desperately.  
"What did you do to him?" he asked angrily.  
"He just attacked you, Sora! With intent to kill!" Lea exclaimed. "I don't know what's going on, but... that's not Riku! He's been brainwashed or something. We need to take him to master Yen Sid, he'll be able to sort this out. Sora?"  
Lea turned around, hearing a choking sound behind him. He was horrified to see Sora going red in the face, hands at his throat as he struggled to breathe. He had been struck with a poison spell.  
"SORA!" Lea exclaimed, running to the boy's side and scooping him up. He wasted no time. Clutching Sora by the scruff of the neck and Riku by the arm, he opened a portal in front of him and dragged the pair of them inside it.   
Roxas and Ventus were sparring on the grounds, watched by Aqua and Yen Sid when the portal reappeared. Lea came through, dragging two limp bodies behind him. Everyone ran to them immediately.  
"Lock him up somewhere, he's dangerous!" Lea said as Aqua and Roxas hovered close to Riku. Meanwhile, Yen Sid took one look at Sora and ordered Ven to quickly retrieve a panacea from the potions room.  
Sora started to gag as soon as he was given the potion, swearing profusely as he did so.  
"Oh my gods! That stuff is terrible, it tastes like shi-"  
"That's enough!" Yen Sid said irritably before Sora could complete the sentence. "Now tell me, what happened?"  
Sora's expression darkened as he told everyone what went down in Radient Garden, how he crossed paths with Riku, who immediately turned and attacked him. He still couldn't believe that his best friend would turn on him in the blink of an eye like that.   
With the information he was given, Yen Sid felt it was best to examine Riku's memories. Though he was still out cold from the blow Lea had inflicted, it was still a dangerous job as he could wake up at any time and potentially attack again. He had been locked in a windowless room in one of the middle levels of the tower. Even in sleep, Riku looked troubled.   
Yen Sid was quick to discover that this boy wasn't Riku at all, but a replica who's memories had been altered. Lea was right to say that he had been brainwashed. It was a bad sign, as it meant that whoever had created him was clearly trying to buy time. Paired with the real Riku's recent abduction... it all left Yen Sid very troubled.  
The replica woke up some time later and immediately threw a loud and violent fit. The sounds of furniture being thrown mingled with enraged screams could be heard throughout the tower, distracting everyone from being able to focus on their training properly. Eventually he wore himself out though, causing an eerie silence to fall over the tower.   
Yen Sid thought it would be safe to try to talk with the replica by then. He kept his guard up, readying himself to fight or flee at any given moment as he knocked on the door.  
"What do you want?" The replica said coldly.  
"If it's ok, I have a few questions I'd like to ask you."  
"Do what you want." The replica clearly had no fight left in him. Yen Sid walked in to find the entire room torn apart. He paid the wreckage no mind as he pulled a chair upright and sat down.  
"Why did you attack Sora?" Yen Sid asked.  
The replica looked at him in disbelief. "So you fell for his story, did you?" Then his expression turned to panic. "Wait- he's still here? You should run! That's not Sora, that's an impostor. He wants to kill us all!"  
"Calm down. I don't know who told you that, but it's not true. I know this is going to be a lot to take in... but you've been deceived."  
"You mean... that was really Sora? He's alive?" The replica's eyes filled with tears.  
"Yes... however... that wasn't the only way you've been tricked." Yen Sid summoned Lightning energy into his fingertips, forming a thin, very sharp blade. The replica let out a cry of displeasure as the sorcerer took his arm and held it against his own, drawing the blade across both limbs. The cut on Yen Sid's arm immediately welled with blood, but the replica's did not. He drew back his arm in shock, looking at the clean cut with wide eyes.  
"You mean... all this time... the impostor... was me?"  
Yen Sid shook his head sadly while he cast Cure over both their cuts. "Don't despair. There is still hope left." he said as he watched the replica shake in horror before hanging his head and sobbing brokenly. "You don't have to accept this fate, you are free to shape your own destiny. I'll give you some time to think it over."  
Yen Sid didn't know just how badly damaged the minds of Xehanort's replicas were, or he would've stayed behind to try to prevent this. As he turned to leave the room, the replica suddenly lunged forward, retrieving a sharp piece of broken furniture from the floor. He barely had a moment to react before the replica plunged the makeshift weapon into his own heart.

\------

The replica's body was buried near the edge of the grounds. It was a simple grave, adorned only with smooth, flat stone. Yen Sid and the others spent the remainder of the day deep in discussion about the events that had transpired.  
"You said that this replica didn't bleed when he took his life." Sora said, confused. "But when Riku told us about Kou, it was revealed that he did bleed when he was killed. What was so different about him?"  
"This replica was merely a doll." Yen Sid explained. "Crafted with the intent of creating a diversion, buying time for those who made him. As for Kou, my only guess was that he was crafted from actual flesh. Xehanort was interested in making a vessel of him after all, and that man is far too proud to use anything less than flesh and blood in his vessels. I pity the poor soul who was sacrificed to meet this end."  
"Well it's clear that someone's trying to buy time. But who, and why?" Lea asked.  
"I wouldn't be surprised if this was connected to Riku's disappearance." Aqua said.  
"Why do they want Riku?" Sora asked in fear. "He's immune to darkness, he can't be their vessel!"  
"It could be they're acting to override that immunity." Yen Sid said, deep in thought. "If that is the case, then it is especially important that we find him, and quickly!"

\------

It was the dead of night. Riku knew that Ansem and Maleficent had retired for the evening. Nonetheless, he moved carefully and quietly, not wanting to be found out. The key fit his door perfectly, Riku let out a sigh of relief as he heard the soft click of the lock. He carefully pulled the door open, just enough that he could slip out, and pushed it shut behind him.   
He clung close to the walls until he found the room he had decided on. It was a large, open chamber that Ansem used- or at least tried to use- to train him. His back stung horribly as he remembered the grueling session that took place here hours ago. Yet he knew this was one place where his powers weren't bound. All he intended to do was connect telepathically with his master, let him and the others know he was safe and where he suspected he was.  
Sitting in the middle of the floor, Riku allowed his mind to go blank, then he focused his attention on the Tower.  
-Is anybody there?- He projected.  
There was no answer for several minutes. Then, out of nowhere, Riku felt the light touch of another's energy. It had a wholesome feel to it.  
-Riku? Is that you?- Yen Sid's voice echoed in his head, so loud and clear that it was almost as though the old sorcerer was talking right next to him.  
-Yes. It took some time, but I finally got through to you. Please, tell Sora I'm fine, I know he must be worried. Also, I think I'm being held in Twilight Town, but I don't know exactly where. I can't escape, there's always someone watching the doorways. It's Ansem, and Maleficent. They're working together...-  
A creak sounded, somewhere far off.  
-I'll be sure to let the others know to focus there tomorrow then.-  
-Thank you, master. I'd say more, but I don't think I can linger here long.-  
-Understood. Try to stay safe.-  
Riku broke the connection and allowed his thoughts to flow freely again. Letting out a sigh, he unfolded his legs and slowly stood up, stiff from sitting in that position for so long. Intent on sneaking back to his room, he turned around.   
That was when he saw the figure in the doorway, looming there threateningly. Riku's heart jumped into his throat, and a chill of pure terror washed over him. It was Ansem.  
"How did you escape?" The Heartless said in an icy tone.  
Somehow, Riku found his voice, and it was defiant. "I'm not telling you!"  
Ansem growled, a deep, menacing sound. "Did you forget who you're dealing with, boy!?"  
"Not at all!" Riku exclaimed, summoning his keyblade into his hand. "I remember that I've managed to take you down before, twice actually! How about a third time?" He charged at the Heartless as he shouted his oath.  
He wasn't at his full strength, still weak from his injuries and from the countless days of having his powers suppressed. Ansem was able to subdue him easily, using a tendril of Darkness to brush the boy aside. Riku hit the wall with a cry, and his keyblade flew out of his hand.  
"It looks as though the odds are in my favor this time." Ansem said, advancing on the boy, tendrils of Darkness emerging everywhere behind him, making him look even more demonic. One flew forward and lifted Riku off the floor by his neck. Ansem gloated as he watched the boy struggling and gasping for breath. "And it's high time that I taught you a lesson you'll never forget..."


	14. Retribution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warning: graphic violence, blood, rape, emotional abuse, minor medical detail.  
> All in all, a pretty dark chapter

Chapter 14

Riku was starting to get dizzy, and for a moment he was afraid that Ansem was going to choke the life out of him. But after several moments, the tendril unwound itself from his neck. Riku hit the floor in a heap, coughing and desperately gulping down air. He wasn't given long to recover though, as he found himself hoisted in midair again, this time held up by his wrists.  
"HELP!" Riku shrieked, only to be silenced by another tendril that worked it's way down his throat. He gagged at the intrusion.  
"It's a shame you had to throw away your power." Ansem said coldly as he used his tendrils to tear away Riku's shirt. "You may have had a shot at protecting yourself from this."  
That was when the lashings began. Ansem used his dark tendrils like a whip, flogging the boy relentlessly and mercilessly. Were it not for the tendril that was gagging him, Riku would've cried out every time a new strike bit his flesh. As it was, his body would jerk and twitch every time a blow landed. Ansem timed each blow with cruel precision, making sure the last blow had a few seconds to sink in before striking again.  
His abuse continued like this for several minutes. Riku's back was raw and bloody by the time he finally relented.  
"I was holding back." Ansem taunted as he watched Riku writhing in front of him. "It hurt, didn't it? Imagine what the full strength of Darkness is capable of. It could've been yours, boy!" He pulled the tendril out of Riku's mouth, giving the boy a chance to answer. Riku spat in his face in response.  
"I'll never go down that road again!" He said defiantly. Ansem was growing angry and impatient. With a growl, he wiped his face off on the back of his glove before balling his hand into a fist and punching Riku savagely in the stomach. Riku let out a pained groan and tried to curl up into himself. The movement jostled his shoulders, which were already starting to ache from the strain put on them.  
Without warning, one of Ansem's tendrils snaked it's way behind Riku, swiftly and painfully penetrating him. Riku let out a cry at the unexpected intrusion, and began to shudder as the dark protrusion sought out and quickly found his prostate. The tendril vibrated with pure energy, sending jolts of sensation across his entire body. He struggled to suppress them.  
"Stop this, please!" Riku pleaded in a hoarse voice.  
"You're repulsed by this? Unbelievable. You used to get off on the feeling of power the Darkness gave you." Ansem said coldly, thrusting the tendril in and out of him. Riku struggled against the tendrils that bound his wrists, but they had too firm of a grip on him.   
The movement had caused him to shimmy out of his pants, leaving him fully exposed and humiliated. His face turned bright red. Ansem took one look at him and started to laugh.  
"It looks as though you are enjoying this!" he said in a boastful tone. "Imagine what it would feel like if my Darkness was able to resonate with yours! Give in to it, and you'd be able to find out!"  
"T-that's... never... gonna happen..." Riku gasped.   
"Why do you keep fighting it? It's futile! With it, you'd have the strength you've always longed for."  
"Did y-you... forget why... I w-wanted strength... in the first place? To p-protect my f-friends! All I've ever done... with Darkness... is h-hurt them!"  
Ansem scowled at him for a long moment before sending a powerful jolt of energy down through his tendrils. The shock sent Riku over the edge, making him cum so hard that he screamed.  
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HIM?" Maleficent's voice rang loud and shrill across the hall. She had come down to investigate after hearing the boy's cries. But for all the possibilities that played out in her mind, she wasn't expecting to walk in on this. Ansem glared at her for a moment before withdrawing his tendrils. Riku fell to the floor in a heap, trembling as a result of his forced orgasm.  
"You've already failed to protect your friends." Ansem said coldly, staring at the pathetic form lying curled up on the floor. Riku kept struggling to get to his knees, only to tremble violently and sink back to the floor. "One of them was killed this evening."  
"No..." Riku said, his voice barely a whisper.  
"Get him out of my sight!" Ansem spat at Maleficent before storming out of the hall. Maleficent rushed to Riku's side, pulling off her cloak and kneeling next to him. He was naked and trembling, lying in a pool of his own blood. The skin on his back looked like it had been shredded. He whimpered when she reached out and put a hand on his arm. She knew he was in severe pain, as he was usually too proud to reveal this more vulnerable side to her.  
"Easy, child, easy..." she said gently as she wrapped him in her cloak. Riku let out a pained moan as she lifted him and carried him to his room, laying him face-down on the bed. She made absolutely sure he was comfortable before heading to town to get the items she would need to heal him. Her heart ached as she clutched at the charm in her pocket. She still didn't know how to break the news to him.  
Riku was silent and withdrawn by the time she returned. She quickly got to work, cleaning the blood away from his back and trying to piece together the shredded remains of his skin. She didn't have Ansem's skill with dark medicine, but she understood the basics of it enough to be able to close the worst of the wounds. She treated the remainder of them by applying a salve and binding them in gauze.  
"It can't be true... please tell me it isn't true..." Riku said in a broken voice after she finished. "Ansem's just playing head games with me, it's a lie! I can't have just lost one of my friends!"  
"I wish it was a lie." Maleficent said sadly. "But I saw it happen with my own eyes." She drew the charm out of her pocket and placed it in Riku's hand as she spoke. Riku took one look at it and his eyes widened in horror. It was a broken chain, with a crown shaped pendant hanging off of it.  
"No..."  
"I'm dreadfully sorry, child..."  
"No... it can't be true! Sora!"


	15. Protective Instincts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warning: violence, abuse flashbacks  
> note: The middle section of this chapter is a flashback. I need to find a way to indicate flashbacks, dreams, and similar thought processes in writing, as italics can't be used here.

Chapter 15

The herbs had done little to ease the boy's pain, and Maleficent knew his wounds weren't the primary cause. Riku had spent most of the night crying in grief, clutching the crown pendant so hard it made his hand bleed. It had gotten to the point that she feared that he would hurt himself worse, so she offered to put him into an enchanted sleep. Riku had reluctantly agreed, wanting nothing more than to escape his situation, even if it was only temporary.  
Now she sat at the bedside, listening to the boy's soft breathing as she kept watch over him, afraid that Ansem would return and finish what he started. It wasn't the first time she had seen Riku in this state, nor was it the first time she had witnessed Ansem's cruelty at it's worst.

\------

Riku had run off. Ansem had ordered Maleficent to go find and retrieve him. He sounded furious, and Maleficent thought it would be best not to ask any questions. She had her suspicions about where he was anyways. He had begged to go to Traverse Town ever since he had learned that was where his friends may have wound up.   
Her hunch was correct. Standing on a rooftop in the third district, she could see him clearly. He was deep in conversation with someone, Maleficent guessed this was one of the lost friends he always went on about. Strangely, watching him finally interact with his friend made her feel happy. Then she got a closer look at who he was talking to. Riku's best friend was the Keyblade brat! And she could see the rat king's lackeys with him, the duck had began to argue with the boy. She guessed he had said something rude about Riku, because a hurt expression had formed on his face. He didn't stick around.  
The boy didn't even bother to look for Riku, only calling his name once before wandering off. From her vantage point, Maleficent could see all of them. Riku was closer than the boy thought- he was lurking behind a corner, where he could see and hear everything. Her heart ached for him. She knew how badly he wanted to see him, only to be abandoned in the end.  
The boy let out a startled yelp when she teleported beside him. His cheeks turned pink with embarrassment when he realized who it was before he resumed composure, his face taking on it's signature bored look.  
"You shouldn't have wandered off." Maleficent said sternly. "How did you even get here?"  
"Stowed away on a heartless' gummi ship." he confessed, acting disinterested.  
"Ansem's furious, you do realize that, don't you?" she said in a serious tone. A brief flash of fear crossed the boy's face- he knew how dangerous it was to cross Ansem.  
"Let's just go." Riku said coldly.  
They walked across the district together, neither saying a word to the other. Suddenly, Riku froze in front of one of the small houses that lined the town. He was staring through the window, seething. Following his gaze, Maleficent saw why. The Keyblade wielder and his companions were inside, talking animatedly with some of the residents of the town.  
"Don't you see? While you toiled away looking for him, he simply... replaced you with some new friends..."   
Riku said nothing in response.  
\---  
They left without a sound, no trace of their presence remaining.   
Ansem stormed at the pair of them the instant they returned to the castle. Riku's eyes widened in terror as he was hoisted in the air by dark tendrils, bound at his wrists.  
"One way or another, you will learn obedience, boy!" he said venomously, lashing a tendril savagely across his back. Riku cried out as the blow landed.  
Maleficent immediately knew something was wrong. It wasn't the first time Riku had been subjected to one of Ansem's beatings, but the boy would stubbornly hold back any cries, too proud to show them his vulnerable side. It meant one of two things: Ansem was hurting him worse than usual and it was too much for Riku to hold back, or the boy was beginning to break.  
Ansem inflicted his vicious lashings relentlessly. Maleficent's heart began to break as she listened to the boy's screams. Several minutes in, the cries grew weaker, and Riku began to fade in and out of consciousness. One blow caused the boy's blood to splatter against the wall, and that was when Maleficent dared to break her silence.  
"Enough of this! You'll kill him!" she shrieked. Ansem shot her a deadly glare, but he released Riku from his grip. The boy hit the floor with a groan. Maleficent ran to his side and cradled him in her arms, staring at Ansem in fear and disbelief.  
Riku had passed out by the time Maleficent had carried him to his room. He woke again a short time later, while she was in the middle of treating his wounds. The herbs she was using must have stung him, as he would wince every few minutes. She heard a soft sob shortly after she finished her work, and realized that Riku had been crying.   
"Why? Why did he do it?" he sobbed quietly.  
"We both know how short Ansem's temper is... that sadist..." Maleficent said softly.  
"No... not him... Sora. How could he just leave us?"  
"I... I don't know, child." she said simply.  
"Kai... Kairi needs him. I need him... now more than ever... and he abandoned us!" He was getting worked up, which wasn't helping his current situation.  
"Easy, child. Easy..." she said in a soothing voice, stroking his hair and trying to ease him to sleep. It was around that time that she realized just how protective she was of this boy, that any hurt he felt, she felt too. She had started to love him like he was her own son.

\------

Riku was still asleep, deep under the enchantment the following morning. Ansem was getting impatient again.  
"I didn't give you permission to take the day off. Wake up!" he said coldly. Riku didn't stir. Ansem's rage began to build, and he had raised his hand to strike him before Maleficent rushed in.  
"Stop this! You've already done enough to him!" she shouted.  
"He's being lazy." Ansem said coldly.  
"Oh for heaven's... he's injured, thanks to you! Or did you forget about last night?"  
"He had to be punished."  
"I saw enough. So this is how you punish people now- by sodomizing them with your dark tendrils? What's your true motive?"  
Ansem rolled his eyes. "Fine. I was trying to break his spirit. Hopefully, that was enough to make him submit."  
"Why is that so important?"  
"He is Xehanort's ideal vessel. But... as long as he continues to resist, he can't be touched."  
The ramifications of the plan sank in. The thought of it disturbed her deeply.   
"Find someone else. I won't let you or your lot hurt him again."  
"There is no other option. Unless you'd like to offer yourself as a replacement."   
Ideally, she had no interest in becoming a vessel. But Maleficent wasn't going to let them take the one person she had grown to truly care about either. She had to think of a way out of this predicament.


	16. Change of Heart

Chapter 16  
Sora did not take the news well. He stood there in stunned silence as the reality of the situation set in.  
"We've failed him." he said miserably.  
"We did not fail him." Yen Sid answered. He could sense Sora's growing instability and was gathering mana in case he had to subdue the boy. "He told us where he thought he was, and I trust his judgement."  
"They're not going to just give him up willingly!" Sora snapped. "There's going to be a fight, I know it. Throw in those damned replicas they have running around, and we'll be badly outnumbered. There will be losses. I'm not ready to lose another friend!"  
"You didn't lose Riku though." Roxas said. "He is clearly still alive if he managed to contact the master last night. He's waiting for us. Don't you want to see him?"  
"I do, more than anything... but not if it'll put any of us in danger. I still haven't forgotten how our last rescue attempt ended. If Riku were to aid us from within... he'd have to use Darkness. Once they learn of his immunity, he's as good as dead."  
"I'm glad to see you're finally learning to think on the spot." Yen Sid said in approval. "But you still keep seeing the worst case scenario. You need to have faith in your abilities, as well as your companions."  
Sora started to tremble as thoughts chased each other in his head. It was too much to process at once. He felt dizzy and overwhelmed.  
"I'm afraid..." he confessed.

\------

The boy was in no condition to travel. Maleficent could see it based on his pallor, and the way blood still soaked through the bandages on his back. But she felt he was in too much danger to linger here much longer. She treated his back with the strongest numbing herbs she had before lifting the enchantment.  
The effects wore off quickly. Riku stirred softly and opened his eyes, wincing in pain as he tried to sit up. He wore a confused expression on his face.  
"Why has the spell been lifted?" he asked. "My back still..."  
"I know," Maleficent said softly. "Listen to me, child. You're in danger. You have to leave this place. I've already gathered whatever you may need, so hurry and come with me!"  
Riku was still shaking off the remaining dregs of pain and sleep as he followed Maleficent out of the building and into the maze of tunnels that lay under Twilight Town. She had used magic to change their appearances, and both of them could pass for the town's residents at this point. But Maleficent constantly looked behind her back as they walked.  
"There. I had to go to a place where it would be hard to track. It's easy to get lost down here." she said as she opened a dark corridor in front of them. "Be warned, the world I'm sending you to is a dangerous one, but it is one of the last places that Ansem would think to find you." She lifted the transformation on him as she spoke. "Keep your guard up. You're still recovering, so try to avoid fighting whenever necessary. And try not to contact your master again, Ansem can sense your energy. That was how he found out the other night."  
"Why are you doing this?" Riku asked, bewildered.  
"Riku..." she sighed. "I know you never believed me when I say it, but you really are like a son to me. It would cause me great pain to find out that something happened to you."  
"What are you going to do? Ansem's gonna be furious..."  
"Don't worry about him. Now hurry, time is running short. He may have already noticed our absence." She ushered Riku towards the portal as she spoke. He froze before he walked through and looked back at her.  
"Maleficent..." he said. "Thank you... for everything."  
"Be safe... Riku..." she answered just as the portal closed between them. Seconds later, another portal opened behind her, and Ansem stepped out, wearing a stony expression.  
"Where is the boy?" he said venomously, seizing the dark fairy roughly by the arm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short chapter, but, as per usual, I intend to make up for it in the next one.


	17. The Breaking Point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: attempted suicide

Chapter 17  
Riku did not recognize the world that Maleficent led him to. The place looked bleak and desolate, as though nothing had grown or thrived here for centuries. Heartless wandered aimlessly across the terrain, hundreds of them, yet none of them seemed to notice or even care about his presence.  
His emotions were all over the place. One moment found him furiously blasting at a rock face with Firaga, until memories of training alongside Sora surfaced. He cast a final fireball at the cliff with a scream of rage before falling to his knees and sobbing.  
Why didn't Yen Sid tell him what happened? Was the old sorcerer unaware of it at the time? He didn't linger on the thought long, as a sound had stolen his attention.  
The cliff he had thrown fireballs at had started to crumble at the points of impact, creating a large, tunnel like hole. The dust settled, and a faint glow of light shone from within. Riku walked into it, not caring if the rest of the wall collapsed while he explored. It would just cut his misery short at that rate.  
The light came from the other side of the cliff. It seemed Riku's spells had managed to blast all the way through at some places. He peered through the hole, and his eyes widened at what he saw.  
"No way..."  
Keyblades. Thousands of them, rusted from lack of use, thrust into the ground. The sight of them reminded him of a graveyard.  
"What even is this place?"

\------

Maleficent felt more irritated than anything when Ansem shoved her at Xehanort's feet. She brushed her robes off and stood, glaring at the man who stared all of this.  
"So, after getting strict orders to confine the boy and re-temper his Darkness, you instead choose to release him. Explain yourself!" he said, fixing his piercing gaze on Maleficent.  
"I felt it was becoming a lost cause: after several weeks, he was making no progress. Yet I couldn't find it in my heart to kill him needlessly, so I let him go."  
"Do you realize what releasing him means to our plans? He could be relaying them to his allies as we speak. You've put us all in danger because you allowed yourself to go soft!" Ansem said venomously, raising his hand to strike. Xehanort held out his own hand, silencing him.  
"There is still time. Luckily, we've managed to find a replacement for Xigbar, but we still need our final member. Both Sora and Riku are out of our reach now, thanks to folly on all our parts. Yet they may still play important roles in the grand scheme. However, we are still one seeker of Darkness short. What do you propose we do to make up the difference?"  
Sora was still alive? Maleficent thought. But she was pretty sure she had seen Roxas cut him down. What was it that she had witnessed? However...  
"Use me instead!" she said suddenly. She knew her life was pretty much over anyways. She had offered her service to the organization, knowing it was far better than waiting around for her worlds to crumble around her. And now she had betrayed them. Decades of hard work and effort, thrown away for a single, young boy. She didn't regret her decision though.   
"Is that so?" Xehanort leapt down from his seat and circled Maleficent, looking her over closely. Maleficent felt like a sheep being appraised for slaughter, yet she remained expressionless as Xehanort finished.  
"Not the ideal vessel, but it will work." he said. "But, to be absolutely sure, the ritual should be done quickly. Now, let's begin."  
Summoning his Keyblade, Xehanort performed his ritual over it, gathering a fragment of his own heart into it's core. He aimed it at Maleficent, and fired a sphere of bright light at her.   
Sora, Riku, I know I can count on both of you to undo this, she thought as it hit her squarely in the chest, then absorbing into her. She could only see the glow it left around her body for a split second before everything went black.

\------

Several days had passed since they attempted to locate Riku in Twilight Town. They had gotten nothing out of the journey, not even a lead. This much was clear, he wasn't there.  
Sora was becoming increasingly unstable. Yen Sid had to bind his powers again to protect him, yet he could still be heard slamming his fists into the floor every night as he tried desperately to think of a way to find and rescue his friend.  
A message came to them in the form of Maleficent's raven one morning. The message itself was from Xehanort, informing them that he had found all his vessels, and he now awaited their move in the Keyblade Graveyard. The writing almost mocked them. Sora's eyes widened in horror as he heard the words.  
"They did it. They actually did it. Riku... he's gone..." his voice was shaking as he spoke, and he was struggling to hold back tears. "It's all over."  
"No, Sora. It's not over." Yen Sid assured him. "Riku's alive. He's in a helpless situation right now, but it can be reversed. He needs us, now more than ever. The only way to save him is to defeat the man holding him hostage."  
"What if I have to..." the sentence was never finished, but everyone knew what he was about to say. What if he was forced to fight Riku to get to Xehanort? Nobody could say for sure.  
"I... I need to go and think this through..." Sora said in a withdrawn, sullen voice. He turned and left the room. Yen Sid dismissed everyone else, and slowly, reluctantly, they retired to go prepare for the midday training session. Kairi headed to her room to go put her hair up. She heard a sudden, loud thud coming from inside Sora's room when she passed by. Alarmed, she tried to open his door, only to find it locked.   
She normally wouldn't disturb his privacy, but she was concerned by the sound and quickly unlocked the door with her Keyblade. Her eyes widened when she opened the door, and she let out a scream of horror.  
Sora had attempted to hang himself with his sheets, but was unsuccessful. He was struggling against the coils, kicking weakly and letting out deep, desperate gasps. Kairi rushed to him immediately and tried to lift him to relieve the pressure on his neck. Lea, who had heard Kairi's scream, had rushed into the room moments later, only to see this scene in front of him.   
"Oh shit!" he said as he drew his Keyblade and swung hard at the rope, cutting him free. Sora hit the ground with a thud, where he continued to struggle and gasp for breath. Kairi sent Lea to get Yen Sid as she personally loosened the tightly coiled sheet from around his neck. Grabbing the blanket from his bed, she draped it over his shoulders as he continued to choke and gasp before collapsing in the girl's arms, where he started to tremble, shocked by what he had nearly done.  
"Shhh, I got you, you're safe." Kairi said soothingly, even though she was crying herself. "Everything's going to be okay. Oh, Sora..." her words were broken by soft sobs. "Don't you ever scare me like that again..."


	18. Resolve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warning: sexual content

Chapter 18  
Bruises had formed around Sora's neck by the time Lea returned with their master in tow. Yen Sid's face was grave as he questioned the boy after making sure he had not sustained serious injuries. The old sorcerer frowned as he heard what Sora had to say, then he sighed. He drew mana into his palm, then held it against Sora's head. Sora's eyes widened once he realized what was happening, and he tried to resist, but soon gave in to the effects of the spell, falling into a deep sleep.  
"A few hours of dreamless sleep should help ease his mind." Yen Sid said. "I'm at a loss." he added, turning to face the others in the room. "We need Sora for the upcoming battle, he is important. But the burden on his mind and body is proving to be too great. If we were to stress him further... his heart could break, the way Riku's did in Radiant Garden. And Sora doesn't have someone like Kou to repair the damage. What do you suggest we do?"

\------

Three days alone with his thoughts had drawn Riku into his own state of grief. He spent most of the time hidden in the hole he had blasted into the cliff side, seated against the wall, often weeping quietly to himself.  
Kou could sense the cracks forming in the boy's psyche. If he didn't act soon, his heart would be quick to follow. Yet he couldn't get through to him, Riku had put up some kind of mental barrier. Desperate, Kou had resorted to travelling through his memories, hoping to find someone who could reach him through his dreams. He never thought he'd find that person buried so deeply within.  
\---  
Fate had been merciful enough to not plague Riku with another nightmare. That night, he found himself walking along the beach on their little island, alone, but at peace.  
He froze when he reached the end of the bridge that connected the little island to the small, sandy expanse that the paopu tree grew on. A girl with black hair stood there, dressed in the black cloak of the Organization. Someone he didn't know, but somehow recognized.  
"Who are you?" he asked her.  
"Someone from the past." she answered. "Namine told me everyone would forget, but still, I'd hoped..." Tears glistened at the corners of her eyes as she looked up at him. She looked a lot like Kairi. "You were so kind to me..." She turned around and made to walk off.  
"Wait! Don't go!" Riku exclaimed, rushing forward and grabbing her arm. "Whatever happened, I'm really sorry!" he said, even though he didn't know why. The girl turned back to him, burying her face in his chest. She was close enough that Riku could detect her scent. She didn't smell like Kairi at all, in fact, the warm, comforting scent of cinnamon reminded him more of Sora. She looked up at him again, and Riku was able to see her face more clearly. She also shared Sora's dazzlingly blue eyes.  
"How could I forget someone as beautiful as you?" he said, suddenly realizing how he sounded. He turned away, blushing madly. He heard the soft crunch of sand behind him as the girl stepped closer to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see her smiling through her tears.  
"That's what I meant. You're really kind." As Riku looked at her face, deep into her eyes, a name surfaced in his mind.  
"Xion?" She nodded in response, beaming.  
The both seemed to get lost in the moment, as the next thing Riku was aware of was kneeling next to Xion in the sand, slowly unzipping the long black cloak, her voice desperately urging him on as he gently peeled away layer after layer until she was lying naked on the ground, her cloak being the only barrier between her and the hot sand. Riku found himself responding to the simple beauty of her form, yet he didn't feel embarrassed by it. He was still reluctant as he lowered his hand to her chest.  
"May I?" he asked, stilling his hand just above her breast.  
"Please!" he gently pinched her nipples in response. Xion cried out and arched her back, and Riku would notice that her knees had spread apart slightly as he continued his ministrations.  
"Need more?" he asked as he lowered his mouth to one of her breasts, freeing his hand to please her in other ways. He awaited her consent before gently dipping his fingers between her folds, exploring every inch of the slick, wet flesh until he found a spot that made her moan every time he grazed it. He lingered on that sweet spot for a long time, listening to the dulcet sounds of her moans and whimpers. He found himself getting more aroused as he listened to her cry out in need. It was becoming unbearable, and he soon found himself fumbling with his belt with his free hand. He was desperate, but he still kept her consent and comfort in mind before he entered her.  
She was the first to climax, screaming out his name to the heavens. Riku was close behind, the feeling of her inner walls contracting around him quickly sent him over the edge. They both collapsed in a heap on the sand afterward, too tired and at ease to care.  
Riku must have fallen asleep at some point, because the next thing he was aware of was waking up, still in that same location on the islet. Xion had vanished, but Kou was there, sitting on the trunk of the paopu tree.  
Riku bolted upright in shock and embarrassment. "Just how long have you been here?"  
Kou didn't even flinch. "Relax, I've witnessed worse things. Besides, I'm the one who sent Xion to see you in the first place. Though I will admit, I wasn't expecting that part. Still, it helped, you lowered your guard long enough for me to speak with you."  
"What do you want?" Riku asked, trying to sound less annoyed than he was.  
"We had an agreement. You'd let me take refuge here, if I kept you safe from corruption. How am I supposed to keep up my end of the bargain if you keep putting up walls?"  
"I've been putting up walls?" Riku asked in disbelief.  
"You've been stressing yourself out too much by focusing on Sora. It would be an insult to his memory if you let yourself get distracted long enough to get killed. You need to calm yourself!" Kou said in a rebuking manner that reminded him of Kairi.  
"War is coming! How am I supposed to keep calm at a time like this?" Riku asked.  
"Remind yourself of what you're fighting for. What's important to you. 'To protect the things that matter!' That was your mission, was it not?"  
"It was. But I have nothing left..." Riku said sadly.  
"You still have Kairi. And Mickey, and the others. You've gotten so caught up in your grief that you lost sight of the other important things."  
"The things that matter..." Riku repeated. "You're right. Sora may be gone, but it would be an insult to his memory if I let the things that mattered to him fall to Xehanort. Yes... I need to fight on, so nobody else falls!" Then he remembered where he was. An unknown place, with desolation all around him. His resolve quickly faltered.  
"But... where do I go from here?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I admit this one was shameless. RikuShi is a guilty pleasure of mine, and I had to work it in in some manner.


	19. A deadly mistake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: violence, blood, implied character death

Chapter 19

"I don't like this." Yen Sid said. "He's not ready. I wish we had been given more time."  
The old sorcerer was in his loft, deep in conversation with Mickey. They were preparing to set off, to face Xehanort in what would hopefully be their final clash. However, because of Sora's attempt to end his own life mere days before, even Yen Sid was beginning to have doubts.  
"I understand. But time has run out. It'd be best for Sora and everyone involved if we ended this now. I can only hope that finishing Xehanort off for good will restore Riku, Terra, and any other person he has corrupted to their original selves."  
"For their sakes, and for Sora's, I hope you're right."   
"I have this feeling. I know that's what needs to be done. But, it needs to be done soon. I apologize for my urgency, but I need to go and support them."  
"Very well. I have just one request of you."  
"What is it, master?"  
"Keep an eye on Sora."

\------

Riku had spent nearly four days scouring every inch of the world he was on for a way off, often cursing himself for not asking Aqua how she used her Keyblade like a glider. So he found himself trying to figure it out on his own between rounds of scouring the world for gummi blocks. He'd lost the ability to summon dark portals, and he wouldn't risk it anyways if he could, knowing that Ansem would be able to track him that way.  
By midday, Riku had found himself sheltering in one of the many caves that dotted the landscape, hiding from the strange cyclones that swirled ominously in the distance. He could only guess that they were the lingering traces of dark magic, as he found himself trapped in battle with large and powerful Heartless after getting sucked into one a few days prior.  
The cyclones eventually dissipated, and Riku was able to explore more of the landscape. His efforts proved fruitless, and he was getting worn out. He decided to return to the cavern he had chosen for his shelter. That was when he saw him.  
A lone figure, dressed in a ragged black cloak, stood in the clearing near Riku's shelter. Riku approached it with caution, only to immediately jump back after getting a glimpse of the figure's face.  
"No! It can't be... you're supposed to be dead!" Xigbar's human form Braig turned around and stared at Riku, a wicked grin forming on his face.  
"Well, you're neither right nor wrong!" he said venomously. "It seems that, by destroying a Nobody, you actually make them into whole people again. I've been eavesdropping on the Organization ever since, and I heard that they had a clash planned here. No better place to find your little friend and take back what he owes me!"  
"You're too late." Riku said in a sad voice. "Sora's gone."  
"Oh? Well, I'm a bit disappointed then. No matter, I can still have a little fun with his allies!"  
"THINK AGAIN!" Riku shouted, rushing at the former Nobody, Keyblade drawn.   
The pair of them fought viciously and desperately, both driven by grief and anger, neither of them escaping the other completely unharmed. Yet Riku proved the victor, walking away from Braig just as the latter fell to his knees, completely collapsing and breathing his last a short time later. Riku made his way back to the shelter before collapsing himself, clutching at a bloody wound in his right side. One of Braig's bolts passed completely through him. He had cast cure over himself after the battle so he wouldn't bleed to death, but it still hurt him badly, enough to make him pass out a short time later.

\------

Sora looked pale and timid as he looked over the strange new world from the window of the gummi ship. The place looked dismal and cold. He could easily see why the Organization had chosen this world to be the site of the clash. Such a dark place could easily kill the spirit.  
"Sora, look!" Aqua said, pointing at the sky. That was when he saw that they weren't alone. A small fleet of gummi ships floated beside theirs, he could make out a few familiar faces in the windows of the other ships.   
A few flashes of light appeared on the ground beneath them, and Sora could make out the faint but colorful forms of Dream Eaters, all rushing at the throngs of Heartless and Nobodies that had come to fight for the opposing side. And, every so often, a Moogle could be seen, ready to synthesize armor and weapons for the fighters.  
"It seems as though a lot of people have your back, Sora." Lea said, looking out the window in awe. Sora could feel his spirits lifting, and for the first time in a while, he felt hopeful.

\------

Night had fallen by the time Riku had regained consciousness. The first thing he noticed was that the pain in his side had pretty much vanished. Reaching down, all he could feel was smooth, intact skin where the deep, gaping hole had been hours prior. Something or someone had healed him while he was asleep. That was when he heard the whimpering beside him. Turning around, he was startled to see the round face of a Meowjesty looking back at him. The shock was enough to make him jump, hitting his head on the hard ceiling.  
"Dream Eaters?!" he exclaimed in disbelief. "Have I died and gone to the afterlife?"  
After looking around, making absolutely sure that he was alive and not dreaming, Riku made his way out of the cave. The place had been thrown into chaos while he slept, with humans and creatures of all types rushing around. He suddenly remembered Braig's words. He had mentioned something of a clash being imminent. These must have been the fighters. But he didn't know who was a friend and who was a foe. He wandered around aimlessly, and soon found himself in a clearing, where not so many people were gathered.   
\---  
Sora quickly felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of people and creatures fighing on his side, and found himself seeking out a quiet place to gather his thoughts. It took a little wandering, but he soon found himself in a clearing where only a few people and a wayward Dream Eater could be seen.   
"Sora? Is that you?" The voice that suddenly cut through the haze in Sora's mind was familiar, and greatly missed. Turning around, Sora quickly saw the source of it. He was thinner, his hair longer, but the owner of that voice was unmistakably...  
"Riku?" The pair walked toward each other, slowly, carefully. There was a blackened hole scorched in Riku's vest, and there were dark circles under his eyes, but he looked like he was in good health otherwise.  
"I'm so glad... you're safe. They told me you were dead!"  
At that next moment, Sora had his Keyblade drawn, and had swung it savagely at Riku, who only had a moment to summon his own Keyblade to block the attack.  
"You... you're not... Riku! You're one of them!"  
"Sora! What are you talking about? It's me!" Riku said desperately.  
"It's a lie! They fed you lies! Impostor!" Sora said, tears running down his face. Riku used the other boy's distraction to create space between them.  
"Please Sora, I don't want to hurt you!" Riku said, trying to reason with the other boy.  
"You're trying to trick me!" Sora screeched. The boy was angry, grief stricken and enraged. Riku knew that reasoning with him would be impossible at this rate. He'd have to wear him down first. He sighed and drew his Keyblade.  
"Very well." he said sadly. "Come at me!"  
Sora swung at him viciously, with intent to kill. Riku could only block his attacks, not wanting to hurt his friend, but at the same time trying to protect himself. They continued in this manner for several minutes. Riku soon found that he was beginning to wear down, yet Sora continued to attack without relent. He knew he would have to subdue Sora, or he was in serious trouble. The fight increased in intensity, each looking for an opening, yet each meeting and blocking the other's blows.   
All it took was one misstep. Riku stumbled, leaving himself wide open for a blow, which Sora took advantage of. Riku could feel the teeth of Sora's Keyblade tear though his back, yet, for some reason, it didn't hurt. He stood there in stunned silence as Sora dismissed his weapon.  
"You win... Sora..." he said as he lurched forward, landing on his hands and knees. He choked up a mouthful of blood, which splattered on the ground beneath him.  
Sora was reveling in his victory up until that moment, when he saw Riku bleeding from the mouth. That was when the horrible realization set in: Replicas don't bleed.  
"Oh no!" Sora rushed to his friend's side and caught him just as he fell over. Riku looked up at him with a strangely peaceful expression as Sora cradled him in his arms, sobbing openly.  
"Riku! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"  
"It's... okay, Sora. I know... you didn't mean it." Riku's voice was weak and barely audible, his breathing becoming shallow as Sora held him.  
"Don't talk... save your strength! I'm going to get you some help! Please, just stay with me!"  
"It's okay... Sora."  
"Riku... no..."  
"I'm... just... glad... you're... safe..." Riku said as he closed his eyes, going completely still in Sora's arms.


	20. Clash

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: violence, past abuse mention

Chapter 20

War was happening in full force around Sora, yet the whole world seemed to go as still and silent around him as the pale, thin form still clutched in his arms. He shook Riku's shoulder gently, then with a little more force when he didn't get any response.  
"Riku? Come on! Wake up! Open your eyes!" he cried desperately. "Please! Come back to me! Riku!" he began to despair as he got no answer, holding Riku's body closer to him and sobbing brokenly.  
"I did this to you..." he sobbed as he continued to cradle him. "I'm so sorry. I came here to save you, and I killed you instead." he repeated those words over and over, rocking back and forth as he held Riku in a death-grip, afraid to let him go.  
"I came here to save you... and I..." the sound of a terrible explosion sounded in the distance, and Sora looked up, his expression turning from one of despair and grief to one of seething rage. He quickly spotted the source of the explosion. Xehanort, though only a small speck on the top of a mountain in the distance, he still released a vast aura of pure Darkness that gave him away. And he was charging that power to release another explosion.  
"No... you did this..." Sora said angrily. "Well, I'm not gonna let you hurt anyone else, ever!" Resolved strengthened, he stood up, still holding Riku in his arms. Sora tried to ignore how light he felt as he carried him to the most sheltered place he could find. His heart began to break as he laid his best friend's body under a small protrusion in the cliff side.  
"Rest easy." he said, tears flowing freely. "I swear, I will come back to bring you home." he added, quietly praying that the simple shelter of the cliffside would protect him from further harm. He then turned his sights to the growing Darkness in the distance.  
\---  
Meanwhile, Lea and Roxas were tied up in their own battles. Lea had taken one look at Saix and tried to reason with him, to turn him back to their side. Saix wouldn't listen, and was now raining blow after savage blow on Lea, who could only dodge roll out of the way before shooting fire spells at him.  
Roxas glared at Xemnas with a look that could kill. One glimpse at the Nobody was enough to trigger countless bad memories, stirring up feelings of rage. Xemnas stared back at him with his usual cold, calculating expression.  
"You..." Roxas seethed. "Everything you did to me, to my friends... it's time for you to pay!"  
"Always the hotheaded one, weren't you?" Xemnas replied coldly. "No matter, we've managed to meet our objective, in spite of your treachery. Now you're just an obstacle, and it will not hurt me in the slightest should you get swept aside."  
"Terra, STOP!" Ventus suddenly burst into the fray. Xemnas looked between the two similar looking boys in confusion.  
"Ven, that is not who you think it is." Roxas said through gritted teeth. "He is no friend of ours." Ventus swerved around and looked Xemnas in the eye.  
"Okay, who are you and why do you look like my friend?"  
Xemnas stared back at Ventus with a smug smirk.  
"That is between me..." he motioned to the figure on the mountaintop. "...and him."  
Confused and angry, Ventus drew his Keyblade and charged at the Nobody. Not expecting Ven's sudden outburst, Roxas let out a startled cry and followed suit.  
\---  
Xehanort surveyed the damage caused by his dark barrages with a pleased look. The blast had taken out numerous warriors for Light and Dark alike, and the remaining survivors were scurrying away from the smoldering crater like insects. No matter, another blow could put them out of their misery. He gathered mana from his surroundings and charged yet another shot.  
"Wait!" Xehanot paused and looked behind him, only to see a worn out and distraught Sora stumbling towards him. He decided to indulge the boy.  
"So, you've decided to come and accept your fate?" he said.  
"No." Sora said, panting. "I just need to know. Why are you doing this? Why do you need to take so many lives to meet your goal? We did nothing to you!"  
"You've come so far, and yet you still learned nothing. Destiny is never left to chance. Your friend's fate was decided from the moment he was born. He was meant to fall in battle. If anything, I made his fate easier to endure. He died in his closest friend's arms, what more could he have wanted?"  
"He didn't want to die. He resisted so hard until that last blow was cast."  
"Still so naive." Xehanort said. "Riku never told you everything about his family, did he?"  
"What does that have to do with, well, anything?"  
Riku never did seem to mention his parents, and whenever they were brought up, a look of distaste would often appear on his face, as though the subject made him uncomfortable. For that reason, Sora rarely mentioned them, and often never felt the presence of mind to.  
"Riku's mother died giving birth to him. His father tried to love him at first, but soon grew to resent him and eventually hate him, believing that he had taken his love from him. Riku was neglected at best, viciously beaten at worst. At such a tender age too. Riku grew up believing that the hellish life his father gave him was the norm for all children on the islands. He became fiercely protective of anyone he befriended, and sought out a way to free himself and his friends from the place he began to consider a prison."  
So that was why he was so desperate to build the raft, Sora thought. Why didn't he just tell him things were that bad?  
"A small glimmer of hope came to him when he was still very little. A young Keyblade wielder visited the islands, and he passed that same power on to him. For close to ten years, Riku desperately tried to summon his own Keyblade, but found that it wouldn't answer his call. He began to have doubts, and eventually thought of an alternative. But he never gave up hope, trying at every given chance to call forth the weapon he had been given. And one night, he succeeded. His father had come home drunk, and immediately turned his aggression towards him. The Keyblade came to his aid, and he was able to subdue him long enough to escape to the play island. There, he found Ansem, who offered him his chance at freedom, and Riku, thinking Darkness could not be anywhere near as bad as his father had been, accepted. Don't you see? Death would've been an act of mercy for him."  
Sora looked down mournfully, then got a change of heart. He steadied himself and summoned his Keyblade.  
"That may be so, but still..." Sora held the weapon like a club and charged at Xehanort. "That was not your decision to make!"  
Xehanort met Sora's advance with his own Keyblade, and the moment the two clashed, a brilliant light formed between the two. When it dimmed down, Sora quickly became aware that something felt off about his Keyblade. Looking down, he saw the reason: the weapon had transformed into something massive- two intersecting Kingdom Keys made up the upper portion of the weapon, while the lower portion tapered off into a point, looking more like a traditional sword. And yet, despite it's massive size, the blade felt light.  
"At last..." Xehanort exclaimed, a certain reverence in his voice and demeanor. "The X-blade, once again within my grasp. With it, I shall once again restore balance to the worlds. The tyranny of Light shall meet it's end!"  
"Keep telling yourself that!" Sora said coldly. In your hands, this would bring no balance, just more death and destruction. Well, as long as I continue to draw breath, that will not happen! You'll have to pry this from my cold, dead hands first!"  
"That can be arranged." Xehanort said, rushing at Sora head on.  
\---  
With Roxas and Ventus fighting side by side, Xemnas fell relatively quickly. As the Nobody stood there, breathing heavily after getting soundly beaten by the duo, a sudden loud blast resonated all around them. Lea and Saix were still locked in battle, but Lea was quickly losing stamina. He would meet his end if he wasn't aided soon. Roxas and Ventus didn't think twice about it, running toward Lea's fight to offer their support.  
As the two boys ran off, Xemnas stared at them in shock, not having the energy to give chase. Where had that power come from? No matter, once he regained his energy, he would regroup and take them on again, this time with his own reinforcements.  
He wasn't given the time to do so. Someone dashed in front of him, wielding a bolt-shaped kunai knife, which was immediately plunged into his stomach. Looking up, he was shocked to see who the owner of the knife was.  
"That was for what you did to Sora and Riku." Kairi said, looking at the Nobody with a venomous expression. It was the same chipped blade that Yen Sid had drawn from Riku's body several months back. Kairi had asked for it before leaving for battle, wanting to make one of Xehanort's embodiments feel the same pain the Organization had inflicted on Riku during his confinement, which in turn affected her and Sora. And yet, even though the person she wounded was pure evil, the idea of hurting someone still made Kairi feel sick afterwards.  
\---  
Sora found that the X-blade gave him a massive advantage over Xehanort in battle, yet the old man still put up a desperate fight, blocking and matching many of Sora's blows. He was too distracted by Sora's hard and fast attacks to call on any magic, so for the time being, the rest of that desolate world was safe from Xehanort's wrath.  
They were both starting to wear down, and by the end, Sora was running on determination alone. He just wanted this to end, he didn't care how, even if it meant he would have to perish alongside Xehanort.  
Sora managed to push though Xehanorts defenses, sending the old man flying. He lay still on the ground. Sora cautiously approached him, weapon still raised defensively. Sure enough, it was just a bluff. Xehanort quickly sprung up and grabbed Sora by the neck, holding him aloft. But rather than struggle, Sora simply smirked before sending the tip of the X-blade through Xehanort's chest. The old man stared at the wound in shock before staggering backward, letting Sora go in the process.  
"What? How?" Sora stood up, beaming as Xehanort fell to his knees.  
"I tried that same trick on Riku once. It left me wide open, and he knocked me flat on my ass for it. You really shouldn't let your guard down."  
Xehanort began to fade away. He didn't fight it, he showed no fear, just the same resigned acceptance Riku displayed as he died. And yet, unlike Riku, Xehanort's heart was unstable thanks to all the fragmented pieces scattered among his vessels. Now it was trying to reclaim the lost pieces, sucking them in like a miniature black hole. A bright glow enveloped Xehanort's body as the final piece of his heart returned home, and Sora knew it was too late to run.  
"Kairi... I'm sorry. Riku... I'll be with you soon."  
He just turned away, closing his eyes as Xehanort's heart burst in an explosion of pure energy.


	21. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: violence, medical detail

Chapter 21

It happened too fast for anyone to process. Saix charged at Ventus and sent him flying aside with a single blow. Ven sat up, clutching at his wrist with a grimace of pain. He was pretty sure the limb was broken, and he couldn't use his Keyblade in that state.  
Lea had skidded to a halt at the edge of the battlefield, catching his breath, when he saw Saix pause and turn, slowly approaching the injured boy. Ven's back was to him, and he didn't see him coming.  
"Ven, Look out!" Lea called. Suddenly a blond figure shot past him, placing himself between Saix and Ven.  
"Leave him alone!" Roxas said threateningly. Saix looked down at him with disdain before landing a direct hit on him. Roxas was sent flying toward the cliff face, where he hit it with enough force to blast several chunks of debris loose. He hit the ground with a dull thud and was quickly crushed under the rubble.  
"ROXAS!" Lea screamed, rushing to his friend as fast as his legs could carry him. He was stopped halfway by Saix, who stood in his path, glaring threateningly.  
"Still chasing the illusion of friendship, I see." Saix said icily. "Why do you worry so much, about a boy who was never real to begin with?"   
"Because it is real to ME!" Lea shouted, charging at Saix. He knew it was a hopeless battle, but he wasn't going to sit there and do nothing while his freind's life slowly faded away in front of him. He could see Roxas from where he stood: the boy lay still and quiet, only his upper body visible under the rubble. A small trickle of blood flowed from his mouth, indicating that he was seriously injured.  
Then the flash happened. It appeared out of nowhere, a blindingly bright flash of light in the center of the battlefield, followed closely by a massive explosion that knocked Lea, Ventus, and Saix off their feet. When the blast dissipated, Lea saw that Saix had been knocked out cold. He ignored him, instead rushing to Roxas' side.  
"Roxas! Hold on, I'm gonna get you ot of here!" Lea exclaimed, frantically lifting the heavy, sharp stones that trapped his friend. Once Roxas was freed, Lea carefully turned him onto his back. Roxas choked and took several deep, labored breaths before opening his eyes.  
"Lea?" he said softly.  
"I'm here Roxas." Lea said tenderly. "Stay with me, we're gonna get you some help."  
Isa had regained consciousness during all the fuss. For a moment, he was confused, wondering how he had found himself in this strange place, but then several memories resurfaced. In the distance he saw Lea, cradling a familiar looking boy in his arms. He approached the pair cautiously.  
"Lea?" Isa said softly. Lea looked up, and for a moment, seething contempt showed on his face, causing Isa to step back in alarm.  
"Lea, it's me. It's Isa." he said, attempting to find neutral ground. It must have worked, as Lea looked up, and his eyes widened.  
"Isa!" The brief reunion was cut off by the sound of the boy's choking. He brought up a mouthful of blood and passed out. He looked deathly pale.  
"Oh! Isa, you gotta help me! My friend... he's hurt! Badly! But I'm too exhausted to carry him to the gummi ship on my own. Can you give me a hand?"  
\---  
Kairi stumbled across what was left of the battlefield, still stunned by the bright, resounding explosion. She could only guess that Xehanort had finally fallen, as things quickly settled down afterwards. She had found Aqua among the survivors, who ordered her to look for any wounded and have them moved to the outer edge of the battlefield. Most of the injured were capable of walking on their own, but a few had to be carried off the field. She had found Lea, Ventus, and for some reason, Saix running desperately towards the edge of the field with an unconscious Roxas in tow. She hoped he wasn't badly hurt.  
Worn out, Kairi slumped against one of the many cliffs that covered the landscape. Aqua found and joined her soon afterward, catching their breath and giving each other brief updates before they resumed their search closer to the center.  
"Oh no!"  
Kairi found a sole, forlorn figure lying under one of the cliffs near the site of the explosion. The tall, thin stature and silver hair gave away who it was. She ran to his side and lifted him into her arms, sobbing openly.  
"Oh no! Oh gods no! Not him! Riku! Please wake up, please talk to me!" she exclaimed frantically as she tried to shake him awake. Aqua could only sit by and watch with a mournful expression on her face. She stood next to them, allowing Kairi some time to grieve before kneeling down and looking the girl in the eyes.  
"I'm really sorry, Kairi. I'm afraid there's nothing more we can do for him. At least... he's not suffering anymore. Come on, there are people out there who still need our help."  
"I can't just leave him here..." Kairi said through sobs. Aqua made to gently lift Riku's body from her arms so Kairi could stand up. She gazed at his still face, trying to gauge what he must have been feeling in his final moments. She continued to cradle him as she spoke.  
"We'll come back for him, I promise. But first, we need to attend to those who need our help the most. Trust me, it's what he would..." Aqua froze. Was she imagining it, or did she hear Riku let out a slight gasp. Carefully lowering the boy to the ground, Aqua lowered her head to his chest, listening intently for any sound of life. Then, much to Kairi's shock and surprise, she lowered her mouth to his.  
"What are you doing?" Kairi asked in disbelief. Aqua had since lifted her head, and was now pressing down on his chest. An exasperated look appeared on her face as she continued to do this.  
"Wait... you grew up on an island and yet you never learned how to... Ugh, never mind. Riku's heart is still beating, but barely. I'm trying to revive him!"  
\---  
Donald, Goofy, and Mickey were sifting through the twisted remnants of the Keyblades that once blanketed the landscape, trying to find any survivors among the ruins. Even the naturally cheerful nature of the trio couldn't detract from the bleakness of the situation. Mickey had seen Sora take on Xehanort, and knew that the boy was somewhere among the debris. Whether or not he lived, none of them could tell for sure. They hoped to find him alive, but were prepared for anything.  
"Sora! SORAAAA!" Donald shouted in his typical shrill voice, kicking a piece of twisted metal aside, where it landed on a particularly large pile of debris with a dull clang. The duck jumped in shock when another noise came from the pile in response. It sounded like a low moan. He rushed to the pile urgently, knowing that there was a survivor buried under the debris. What he found urged him to call for help.  
"Hey! Over here! It's Sora, I found him!" The duck screeched as loudly as he could. Mickey and Goofy rushed over, both of their eyes widening in shock at what they saw.  
Sora was impaled on the remains of several Keyblades, struggling to stay awake as he lay there, shaking and gasping for breath.   
A frightened cry startled all four of them. Kairi had arrived at the scene, and had seen the state Sora was in. She walked to Sora's side slowly, wide-eyed and shaking, until she fell to her knees beside him and took his hand. Shock had rendered her mute, she could only sit there, stroking his hand as tears flowed freely from her eyes.  
Mickey tried to pull the twisted metal free from Sora's body, but found that it wouldn't budge. The explosion had welded it to the ground. He sighed and began to issue orders to Donald and Goofy, who immediately scurried off. He turned to Kairi.  
"I need to go get some supplies, but I shouldn't be gone for long. Please, stay with him and try to comfort him." he said before turning and running off.  
Kairi spent the entire time at Sora's side, stroking his hair and singing softly to him. She was halfway through an old island lullaby when Goofy returned. He tried to maintain his usual carefree demeanor, but Kairi could see that he was worried. He said nothing as he sat down next to them.  
Donald and Mickey returned together, speaking urgently to one another, giving the occasional glance towards Sora. The pair of them knelt at his side, and the mouse immediately began to unpack several items- rolls of gauze and various potions and medicines. Mickey uncorked one of the potions and carefully dripped it into the boy's wounds. He then called Donald over.  
The pair of them called fire magic into their hands, and used it to cut away the twisted metal that pinned Sora to the ground. The heat traveled down the metal, cauterizing the boy's wounds, but at the same time causing an unimaginable amount of pain. It was clear that the numbing potion that Mickey had given him moments before was not enough. Sora tried to put on a brave face at first, for Kairi's sake, but the pain became too much, and he began to wince and whimper. Tears flowed down his face, and he took fast, shallow breaths. Kairi sang to him though the whole ordeal, holding his hand and caressing it soothingly as she did so.  
After several minutes, the final piece of metal was cut free, leaving only short stumps of metal in their wake. Sora was only given a few minutes to recover before the next part. The metal had welded itself to the ground during the explosion, meaning that the only way to free Sora from them was to lift him off of them. All at once, something that promised to be very hard on him.  
The four of them had already taken their positions on either side of him: Goofy and Kairi each held him by the upper arm, while Mickey and Donald were at his hips. They were waiting for Mickey's cue. The mouse's voice shook as he spoke:  
"Ok... on the count of three, we'll all lift together. One... two..."  
When the mouse said 'three', they all lifted upwards as fast as they could. Pain exploded across Sora's body at that moment, and he let out a blood curdling scream before passing out from the intensity of it. He didn't stir at all, and his body felt limp in their arms as they lowered him onto a clear part of the ground. Mickey immediately got to work, binding the worst of his wounds with the gauze he brought. He instructed Kairi and Goofy to support him as they rose, headed to the fringes of the battlefield, where gummi ships sat waiting to move the wounded to Twilight Town.


	22. Lost and Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: blood, some medical detail

Chapter 22

Aqua had managed to revive Riku, and after reassuring Kairi that he was in good hands, she sent the girl off to find more survivors. She was now sitting on the fringes of the battle field waiting for the next available gummi ship, doing her best to bind the deep, gaping slash that ran from the middle of his lower back to his right shoulder in the meantime. She didn't know who or what had inflicted such a wound, and she didn't want to think about it.  
More people began to gather in the fringes, some supporting or outright carrying their wounded companions. Healthy individuals walked among them, instructing others to take the most severely injured to a calmer section of the fringes, insuring that they would be the first to be taken to Twilight Town when the gummi ships were ready. This was where she had taken Riku.  
A short distance away, she could see Lea fussing over Roxas. The boy's body was covered in bruises, but Aqua knew that there was something much more serious going on. Roxas was trembling and gasping for air, and Lea looked distraught. Ventus stood nearby, his arm bound in bandages, unable to help. A blue-haired man in a black cloak was talking quietly to him.  
The sun was setting, and a terrible chill swept across the land. The air in that barren, lifeless world was always cold, but now it was becoming dangerous. Riku began to shiver. Nearby, Aqua caught a glimpse of Lea removing his cloak and draping it over Roxas, suggesting that the other boy had caught a chill as well. She had nothing, no cloak or blanket on hand that could ease her own charge's discomfort, so she instead lifted him as much as she dared and held him against her own body in an attempt to warm him.   
The first of the ships had been prepared a short time later. The only ones allowed on were the injured, and those who had skill with healing magic. Aqua's skill with both magic and herbs permitted her to board the ship and tend to the injured during the journey. Her heart broke for Lea, who was not allowed to come with Roxas. She reassured him that she would see to his comfort and safety, but it didn't stop Lea from crying as he watched his best friend get carried onto the ship.  
\---  
Sora clung loosely to Kairi's back as she rushed across the battlefield, trying to get to the fringes as fast as possible. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy rushed alongside her, blasting any obstacles aside with brute force and magic.  
Kairi could hear Sora's short, ragged breaths as she ran along. He had not regained consciousness since he had been pulled off of the keyblade remnants that impaled him, and sometimes Kairi feared that he was slowly slipping away from them. He stirred faintly, calling out a name in his dreams.  
"Riku..."  
"Shhh..." Kairi whispered to him. "Save your strength, Riku's gonna be fine. Just hang in there." Sora didn't hear her, too lost to his own pain and grief.  
They arrived at the fringes a short time later, where one of the people patrolling the area took one look at Sora and pointed them to the left, where several gummi ships were assembled. Sora was quickly taken from them and rushed onto the ship, but Kairi couldn't follow. They promised her that he was in good hands, and they she would be able to see him again soon, but the wounded needed to be taken to safety first. Kairi understood, but it didn't stop her from falling to her knees and sobbing openly as she watched the ship take off.  
Mickey, Donald, and Goofy took turns consoling her, and none of them noticed that three other people joined them. Ventus laid his good hand on Kairi's shoulder.  
"Are you okay?" he asked in concern. Kairi jumped at the sudden contact, only to break down again as she looked at him.  
"It's Sora..." she sobbed as Ven knelt down beside her. "He's hurt, I think he's dying. I can't do anything for him here!"  
"Don't beat yourself up, Kairi. Sora, Riku, and Roxas... they're in good hands right now..." Lea interrupted, thought Kairi could see tear tracks on his own face.  
"Where's Aqua?" Kairi asked, noticing her absence.   
"She's on the gummi ship with Riku and Roxas." Ven answered. "They needed her because of her healing skills."  
A sudden burst of activity interrupted them. Another wounded person had arrived on the fringes, from the look of things, it was a tall man in a black cloak. Ven could only guess it was another reformed Organization member, like Isa.   
Then he got a good look at the victim's face.   
"It can't be..." he exclaimed, rushing to the man's side. "Terra?"  
\---  
Aqua examined each of the wounded in turn, making sure each of them was stable, giving them medicine to ease pain as needed. Her eyes widened when she reached Riku's side. The air in the gummi ship was warmer, and it had the mostly unseen effect of improved bloodflow. Aqua connected this to the sudden improvement of some of her charges, but in Riku's case, it had made things worse. He had completely bled through his bandages, and now blood was slowly pooling under him. Aqua quickly pushed him onto his stomach and tore the bandages off of him, casting Curaga on his back. The bleeding eventually tapered off and stopped. Aqua patched him up and dosed him with elixir before resuming her rounds, taking a short break to stare out the window, collecting her thoughts.   
So much had happened in the span of these few hours. A large battle broke out, with surprise reinforcements for both sides. Mere hours in, a massive explosion rocked the battlefield, sending friend and foe alike flying. The majority of the injured had been near the blast, yet some battle casualties were found near the fringes, away from the worst of the explosion. She found Kairi wandering, dazed, with blood om her hands, and the pair went off to look for survivors together.   
That was when they found Riku. Both had thought he was dead, until Aqua heard the boy's heart beating faintly as she lifted him. Now she was near him in the gummi ship, with another member of her party lying on the ground in another section of that same ship. Lea, Ventus, and another were with Roxas. The only thing she remembered was the black cloak he wore, something that identified him as a member of Organization XIII. Had he turned Rogue like Lea, or did that explosion cleanse his heart? Did that mean that Terra was safe and whole again somewhere? She made a point to try and find him when this was all over.

\------

They landed near one of the inns in Twilight Town, a building that had been cleared out to serve as a field hospital for the injured. Other places had been prepared in nearby worlds to tend to the injured and house survivors as well, but the largest was in Twilight Town. Riku, Roxas, and the others were quickly rushed out of the ship by volunteers and healers. Aqua collapsed on a chair in the inn's lobby, taking a quick breather before going to assist the healers.   
Hours passed, and the world seemed to be a blur around her as she worked. She found Kairi and Lea sitting with Ven in the large room that served as a ward for less serious injuries. All three of them looked like they were struggling to hold it together. Upon seeing her, Lea and Kairi questioned her desperately, asking about Roxas, Riku, and Sora. Ven looked like he was bursting to tell her something.   
Aqua told Lean and Kairi what she knew about Roxas and Riku, but she could not answer anything about Sora. She didn't even know that Sora had been hurt. Kairi looked crestfallen, but grateful for what she had learned. Lea seemed distracted. Knowing that Kairi and Lea had gotten their answer, Ven finally spoke up.  
"Aqua!" he said, looking up at her with questioning eyes. "We found Terra, but he was hurt when we saw him. Did you hear anything about him?"


End file.
